SSgt Enrico Antonio Rojo

April 12, 1987 - December 19, 2016

Enrico Rojo was struck dead after exiting his car to offer assistance at the scene of a crash on Interstate 10 early Monday morning in Loma Linda, CA. Loma Linda resident Crystal Adrianna Martinez, 22, was heading westbound on the freeway just east of Mountain View Avenue around 1:30 a.m. when she made a lane change and ran into a big rig, causing her black Toyota Matrix to roll over and block traffic, according to a statement from the California Highway Patrol. Martinez was later arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, officers said. Enrico Rojo, a US Marine, stopped and got out of his vehicle to help Martinez, but was struck by another driver, Alexander Petricevic, who was approaching the crash site and only saw the Toyota directly ahead of him and veered to avoid hitting it, authorities said. Petricevic immediately stopped and called emergency personnel, who soon arrived on scene and determined the man had died after sustaining fatal injuries, according to CHP. Police have not yet released the identity of the victim, but his fiancée, Michelle Medina, has identified him as Enrico Antonio Rojo, a 29-year-old Marine who lived in Ontario. The couple was heading to Los Angeles International Airport with Medina's sister and dad at the time of the incident, she said. Medina's sister Mary Jane Medina said Rojo had requested they stop as soon as he saw the crash. “He said, ‘Pull over to the right,’ so we pulled over to the right shoulder," she said. "And then he said, ‘There’s people in that vehicle, I got to help them out.’" She saw him bend over to attempt to speak with the car's occupant as she called 911, she said. But her sister soon became worried when she lost sight of him, asking "Where's Rico?" “I was like, ‘What do you mean?' And then I was looking around, looking around," Mary Jane said. "And then — very far distance, very, very far distance — I saw a body laying on the freeway, and I was like, ‘Is that him?’" Rojo's father, Miguel Rojo, said his son died how he lived, putting others first. "That’s the kind of person he was. He went to fight for his country. He was concerned about others, as you can see from the way he died," Rojo said. "He was trying to help a perfect stranger without concern for himself. That’s the one thing I’m going to take away from his life." CHP officers were already responding to reports of the rollover accident when they received additional calls about a man struck by a car, Alvarez said. Rojo’s fiancee was shaken by the accident, Topoleski said. She didn’t want to leave his side, but eventually moved toward the shoulder while authorities investigated the scene. “It’s really horrific and heart-wrenching,” he said. “Aside from the fact that it’s Christmastime … this guy, he survived Afghanistan, survived an IED attack, he was a Purple Heart recipient. All this guy was trying to do was the right thing.” Topoleski added: “His sense of duty to his country was plainly evident.... My heart breaks for a kid like that.” Once authorities had cleared and shut down the freeway, he said, they allowed Rojo’s fiancee to come back. The woman clasped Rojo’s hands and wrapped her body around his. She held him on the cold freeway for 30 minutes, then said her final goodbye. The couple had been planning to fly to Texas to visit Rojo's family for the holidays. Please check back for updated information regarding the funeral service and ways you can help the family. FUNERAL SERVICE AT THE 29 PALMS MARINE BASE JANUARY 22, 2017 INFO: THE MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD IN D CO, 4th Tank Bn located in Building 2070 13th Street, 29 Palms, CA. The MEMORIAL SERVICE will start at 11:00am PST and will last approximately 60-90 minutes. WHO DO YOU CONTACT IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND THE MEMORIAL SERVICE? (PRIMARY) 1sgt Ricardo Ojeda at email: [email protected] or 520.546.7387 (ALTERNATE) SSgt. Trelane Johnson at email: trelane,[email protected],mil or 760-830-0966 WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE ATTIRE FOR THE MEMORIAL SERVICE? MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO ARE PART OF THE SERVICE-MUST WARE Dress Blue "B" or service equivalent. MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE CEREMONY can ware appropriate civilitan attire or the UNIFORM OF THE DAY. CIVILIANS CAN WEAR APPROPRIATE CIVILIAN ATTIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS-can wear the uniform of choice or appropriate civilian attire. HOW CAN I ENTER BASE IF I DO NOT HAVE A GOVERNMENT ISSUES ID CARD? DoD personnel can access base with their DoD OD at the gate. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS-can access base with their Government Issues ID at the gate. Civilians over 18 years old who do not possess DoD issues ID MUST submit their (FNAME, LNAME and DRIVER'S LICENSE INFORMATION) to 1stSgt Ricardo Oleda at email: [email protected] or 520-546-7387. Capt. Christopher J. Silva will service as the sponsor for all guests. All guests without DoD ID must pre-register NLT January 20. All Drivers who do not possess a valid DoD ID must also provide their proof of insurance and vehicle registration to PMO registration office. PLEASE CHECK IN WITH PMO REGISTRATION FIRST!!! DO NOT GO DIRECTLY TO THE FRONT GATE. Q-IF I AM A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON DUTY, CAN I TAKE MY SERVICE WEAPON ON BASE? Yes, just show PMO your Government issued ID and badge at the gate.