Soldier From Sunland Park, NM Killed In Iraq

Private 2nd Class Francisco Guardado-Ramirez, 21, of Sunland Park, New Mexico died in a non-combat-related accident in Iraq, the U.S. Army announced Friday.

Guardado Ramirez, assigned to the 1stBattalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Divisionbased out of Fort Stewart, Ga., was killed Wednesday night in a traffic accident according to a report on TheCoastalSource.com, a Website for the ABC and Fox affiliates in Savannah, Ga.

Guardado-Ramirez was serving as a convoy gunner inside a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle that struck an overpass. He was ejected after the vehicle’s turret struck the structure, according to authorities.

The rear detachment commander of the 1-41 Field Artillery said Guardado-Ramirez was MEDEVAC’d to the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, where he died.

The unmarried soldier’s parents in New Mexico were notified Thursday morning, according to the Website report.