A U.S. Army soldier from Skokie was killed Thursday when a transport bus he was in crashed in Washington, officials said.
Pvt. Reymon Tolentino, 28, was among 10 soldiers on the bus, which was returning to their base in Washington from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when it crashed.
Officials said the bus was involved in a traffic accident around 4:30 p.m. on Interstate 5 in Pierce County, but did not offer details on what exactly caused the accident.
The Chicago Tribune reports that the bus struck a concrete barrier and a light pole while heading south just outside of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The shuttle bus reportedly did not have passenger seat belts.
Five other soldiers were injured in the crash, one of them remains in serious but stable condition. Four others were examined and released following the accident.
Tolentino was facilitating the transportation of soldiers returning home from deployment on the night of the accident, according to Lt. Col. Joseph Sowers, a spokesman for the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division.
He entered active duty service on Jan. 3, 2013, completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. His military occupational specialty was a combat engineer.
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His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Pvt. Tolentino's family and friends in the midst of this tragedy," Lt. Col. Douglas Brown, commander of the 14th Eng. Battalion, said in a statement. "Our focus now is on caring for the injured and supporting the Soldiers' loved ones."
