Las Vegas Marine Killed In Supply Truck Accident In Iraq

Yahoo News (press release), Feb 18, 2005

Just days from returning home, a local Marine has died in iraq. His father is talking to News 3 about the promising life of his only son, cut short. For the second time this year, a local Marine has lost his life while serving in Iraq. 19-year-old Lance Corporal Richard Perez died in a supply truck accident on Friday. He grew up here in the valley, and as News 3's Alex Savidge reports, his father is talking about the son he lost.

Perez graduated from Coronado High School back in 2003. Like most parents, Perez's mom and dad worried about him getting into trouble when he was at Coronado High School, but he made it through. His dad says he was glad when his son finally graduated, but worried when he decided to join the Marines. Still, his dad never stood in his way and supported his decision until the very end.

"I almost think we let our guard down. In the last conversation, he said I'll be home soon." It was a final phone call from his Marine son that will forever haunt Richard Perez. His only boy, 19-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Richard Perez Junior, was set to return from Iraq in just over a week, but before he could make it home to his family, his parents and three younger sisters back in Las Vegas learned he was killed Friday, accidentally run over by his own supply truck.

"To have an accident happen ... It's devastating." Especially since Perez had already made it through so much in Iraq. "I worried to death about him going through Fallujah. I worried about elections. Gosh, he was so close."

And this Coronado High graduate wanted to come back home to Las Vegas and maybe try out for the UNLV baseball team. His dad says he'd been working on his pitching over in Iraq. Perez grew up loving sports. His dad was the creator of "The Best Damn Sports Show Period." As a kid, Perez looked up to different athletes. He took a picture with Pat Tillman when he was younger, but Perez always said his real hero was his dad. "Nobody could've had a better son. It's heart-wrenching to think about the possibilities."

The elder Perez says his son never had second thoughts about joining the Marines. In fact, he volunteered to go to Iraq last year. Perez wanted to serve and so his dad had to let him go, and he says despite his son's death, he doesn't regret that decision. Perez had been in the Marines for a year and a half. His dad says he'll be buried in Hollywood, California, next weekend, but they are planning a service here in Las Vegas as well