An active duty Marine on a motorcycle died in a hit-and-run crash involving a box truck in Oceanside, according to officials.
The fatal crash happened as both vehicles were heading northbound in the 300 block of Douglas Drive around 8 a.m. Thursday.
Oceanside Police say the driver in a “Budget Rental” white box truck started to make a U-turn ahead of the motorcyclist, who was not able to stop in time.
The rider – later identified as 22-year-old Marine Brandon Joseph Bizzarro – struck the back of the vehicle and suffered major blunt head trauma. The rental truck driver fled from the scene.
Bizzarro was airlifted to Scripps La Jolla Hospital to be placed on life support, but around 4:30 p.m., he died.
The hit-and-run driver later changed his mind and returned to the scene, Oceanside Police say. The suspect, Ezequiel Garcia, was taken to the police station, interviewed and subsequently arrested for felony hit-and-run.
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Garcia is being held on $50,000 and should appear in court Tuesday.
Investigators are not sure if alcohol or speed played a role in the crash.
If you have any information about the collision, call accident investigator Bryan Hendrix at 760-435-4882.
