The U.S. Army has identified the 11th Airborne Division soldier killed in a collision late Sunday on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska as Pfc. Arath Esau Martinez-Arguelles, 20, of Sherman Oaks, California.
Martinez-Arguelles, a wheeled-vehicle mechanic with the 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), joined the Army in June 2022, Army officials said. He trained at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and at Fort Lee, Virginia, before reporting to Alaska in March.
Two other soldiers who were in the vehicle with Martinez-Arguelles were listed in stable condition Wednesday at Alaska Native Medical Center, Army officials said. The soldier driving the second vehicle, along with his spouse and child, remained in stable condition at Alaska Regional Hospital on Wednesday.
Both vehicles were traveling on Arctic Valley Road near Cottonwood Park when the collision occurred around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a U.S. Army statement released late Monday. Five soldiers were in Martinez-Arguelles’ vehicle.
Two soldiers, including Martinez-Arguelles, were ejected in the collision, the Army said.
First responders transported three injured soldiers, including the driver of the first vehicle and the two ejected passengers, to Alaska Native Medical Center, where Martinez-Arguelles was pronounced dead, the statement said.
Two other soldiers in the first vehicle were transported to Providence Alaska Medical Center, where they were treated and released with minor injuries, the Army said.
The incident is being investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Command, according to the statement.
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