MARCH 12, 2026 — On the afternoon of Jan. 15, 2026, what began as a routine drive through the winding roads of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton quickly turned into an unexpected rescue effort.
Two Marines, Cpl. Malakai Obed and Cpl. Caden Perez with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, were traveling toward the main gate of Camp Pendleton on Vandergrift Road when they witnessed a serious vehicle crash unfold in front of them.
Cpl. Obed recalled the moment clearly: “Perez was riding next to me and I heard him say, ‘Oh no.’ When I looked up, I saw the car go off the side of the road and into a ditch.”
According to information gathered at the scene, a trailer hitch from a truck traveling ahead of the vehicle broke loose and flew backward through the air. The heavy metal hitch crashed through the windshield and struck the driver in the head. The sudden impact rendered the woman unconscious behind the wheel.
With no control of the vehicle, the car crossed both lanes of traffic, narrowly missing oncoming vehicles before veering off the road and rolling down an embankment. For Obed and Perez, the response was immediate.
Without hesitation, the two Marines quickly pulled to the side of the road, jumped out of their vehicle, and rushed toward the wreckage below. As they ran toward the crash, they could see the vehicle had overturned and came to stop upside down in the ditch. When they finally reached it, they noticed several people were trapped inside.
“We could see three kids in the back and the mom was unconscious and bleeding from her head,” said Obed.
The scene was chaotic. The children were frightened and screaming, and the vehicle’s doors were jammed shut due to the rollover. Knowing time was critical, the Marines immediately began searching for a way to get inside.
With the doors stuck and no easy way to access the passengers, the Marines decided the quickest solution was to break a window. One of them ran back toward their truck while the other searched the immediate area for something strong enough to shatter the glass.
“I grabbed the hitch from our truck and busted the window open,” said Obed.
With the window broken and access gained, the Marines quickly worked to unlock the doors and reach the passengers. Once the doors were opened, their priority shifted to the children in the back seat. The Marines carefully pulled the three kids from the overturned vehicle one by one. The children were visibly shaken and crying as they were removed from the wreckage and carried away from the crash site to the top of the embankment and away from the wreckage so they would not witness the ongoing rescue efforts involving their mother. Several bystanders helped calm them down as the situation continued to unfold below.
Because the mother had suffered a severe head wound and potentially neck or spinal injuries, the Marines were careful not to move her unnecessarily. Instead, they focused on getting medical help to the scene as quickly as possible.
“We waved down some corpsmen and they ran over,” said Obed. “I was just helping them out with whatever I could, grabbing a first aid kit from someone’s car and running back and forth trying to help without getting in their way.”
The corpsmen who happened to be driving by before the crash happened stopped and quickly assessed the woman’s injuries. Working quickly and methodically, they treated her head wound and worked to stabilize her condition while waiting for additional emergency responders to arrive. At one point during their treatment, the woman briefly regained consciousness as they continued providing care and monitoring her condition.
Throughout the response, Obed and Perez remained on scene, assisting where they could and supporting the corpsmen as the situation stabilized. Their swift reaction and willingness to act in a moment of crisis helped ensure that the passengers inside the vehicle were safely removed and received medical attention as quickly as possible.
For their actions during the emergency, both Marines were awarded impact Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals in recognition of their quick thinking and selfless response.
“They have a great work ethic. It’s no surprise they did what they did,” said Capt. John Pietrucha, an officer in charge with HMLA-169, MAG-39, 3rd MAW.
What could have been a tragic accident instead became an account of swift action, teamwork and compassion in the face of an unexpected emergency. For Obed and Perez, it was a moment where training, instinct and a commitment to helping others came together when it mattered most.
Their actions show the importance of Total Fitness: preparing Marines across the mental, physical, social and spiritual domains to respond to contingencies when it matters most. In moments, two Marines on an ordinary drive became first responders, demonstrating the readiness, discipline and selflessness that define the Marine Corps.
Story by Staff Sgt. Gabriel Tavarez
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing