Marine in custody dies on I-5 after jump from van

By: North County Times -

OCEANSIDE ---- A unidentified Marine in custody for an unknown offense died Saturday morning when he broke free from the plastic handcuffs restraining him and jumped from a moving military van onto Interstate 5, according to officials.

California Highway Patrol Sgt. Tom Greenstone said a young lance corporal was arrested by the shore patrol near the Mexican border. Three fellow Marines drove down to pick him up in a military-owned Dodge van, Greenstone said.

The lance corporal, seated in the rear of the van, freed himself from the wrist restraints shortly after 12:30 a.m. and jumped onto the freeway, where he was hit by another vehicle, Greenstone said.


Preliminary investigation indicates it may have been the fall that killed the man, Greenstone said.

The incident may have been a suicide, he said.

CHP is investigating the portion of the incident involving the other automobile. The Oceanside Police Department is handling the death investigation.

The medical examiner's office declined to release any information about the man because he is an active member of the military.

Ellie