Lawrenceville Marine Lance Cpl. Gierke died in a military vehicle accident. | U.S. Marines Facebook
Lawrenceville Marine Lance Cpl. Gierke died in a military vehicle accident. | U.S. Marines Facebook
Lawrenceville, Ga., Marine Lance Cpl. Jonathan Gierke died last week in a military vehicle accident while on active duty in North Carolina.
Law enforcement officials reported that 19-year-old Gierke was riding in a military truck that flipped over in an attempt to make a turn.
"He was my training officer, in my first year in the program," Sabrina Arnett, Gierke's ROTC mentee, told Fox 5 Atlanta. "He taught me everything I really needed to know to be where I was when I graduated. Overall, he was an amazing person. He always made me smile even if I was upset."
Pfc. Zachary W. Riffle of West Virginia was also in the vehicle with Gierke and killed in the crash, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. A roadside vigil was put up near the scene of the incident to honor Gierke and Riffle. Classmates from Lawrenceville, as well as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, have been expressing their condolences for Gierke as well.
"He and his family are in our hearts as we join in mourning his passing," Kemp said in a statement to Gierke's family.
A graduate of Collins High School in Lawrenceville, Gierke started his military career as an ROTC cadet while still in high school, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
"He was probably one of the best mentors I had," Arnett said. "He was the light in the dark for almost everybody in our group."
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