By CAITLIN M. KENNEY | STARS AND STRIPES Published: April 13, 2021 WASHINGTON Speed and lack of protective gear during a “joyride” of a vehicle led to the rollover death in September of an Air Force reservist in Kuwait, according to an investigation released Tuesday. Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Ouellette, 23, of Merrimack, N.H., died Sept. 14 when the single all-terrain vehicle in which he was a passenger rolled and pinned him to the ground in a cargo yard near the flight line at Ali Al Salem Air Base. His home unit was the 42nd Aerial Port Squadron out of Westover Air Reserve Base in Massachusetts. During his deployment to Kuwait, he was assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron at the base.
High-Speed Joy Ride Caused ATV Rollover That Killed Airman
Staff Sergeant Ronald J. Ouellette, 23, of Merrimack, New Hampshire. (U.S. Air Force/42nd Aerial Port Squadron/Facebook)
13 Apr 2021
A sharp turn at a high rate of speed caused an Army Polaris Ranger all-terrain utility vehicle to flip at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, last September, pinning down and killing the airman in the passenger seat.
That s according to a new Air Force ground investigation report into the fatal mishap.
Staff Sgt. Ronald Ouellette, 23, of Merrimack, New Hampshire, died in the non-combat related accident Sept. 14. Ouellette and the driver, only identified as an active-duty staff sergeant, were not wearing seatbelts, helmets, eye protection or long-sleeved shirts as required by regulations, the mishap report released Tuesday states.