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Marine dies in motorcycle mishap

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — A 21-year-old Marine was killed Saturday afternoon when he lost control of his motorcycle north of Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, local authorities said.

The victim was Lance Cpl. Christopher G. Carrasquillo, said Capt. Staci Reidinger, a 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing spokeswoman at Miramar. Carrasquillo was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 at the air station, she said.

According to the California Highway Patrol, Carrasquillo, who was from Jacksonville, Fla., was riding west on State Route 76 when he “attempted to pass a couple of slower moving vehicles. He lost control of his motorcycle and went off the roadway and struck a large tree on the north shoulder and was ejected.”

The accident happened at about 1 p.m. on the two-lane road, which curves and dips along the base of Palomar Mountain, east of Camp Pendleton and north of Miramar. The winding roads in the area are especially popular with motorcyclists.