Airman 1st Class Tyler M. Leidholdt was killed when he was struck by a bus early Monday morning near Vandenberg Air Force Base, according to the Lompoc Record.
Leidholdt, 24, assigned to the 30th Security Forces Squadron, was pronounced dead at the scene after a Santa Maria Area Transit bus driving approximately 60 mph ran him over around 5:30 a.m., according to Lompoc Record.
The bus driver, Manuel Ortiz Jr., of Santa Maria, California, was unable to avoid running over Leidholdt, who was lying in the right lane of southbound Highway One before the bus hit him.
It is unclear why Leidholdt was already lying on the ground, according to KSBY. No other injuries were reported and the incident remains under investigation.
“Losing one of our own is heartbreaking,” Col. Michael S. Hough, commander of the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, told the Lompoc Record. “This is tragic and we are coming together across the base to make it through this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with this airman and his family.”
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A Gofundme page has been set up to raise money for Leidholdt’s memorial service, which will be announced at a later date.