Army Specialist Dejuan Cornish ID’d As Victim In Sunday Okinawa Fatal Motorcycle Crash

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA. (THECOUNT) — In a tragic accident over the weekend, a U.S. Army specialist lost his life in a motorcycle crash near the Marine Corps base. Spc. Dejuan Mason Cornish, aged 25, from the 1st Battalion, 1st Artillery Regiment, 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade stationed at Kadena Air Base, was involved in a fatal single-vehicle accident at 2:23 p.m. on Sunday, as confirmed by brigade spokesman Capt. Frank Spatt via email the following day.

Cornish, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, served as a Patriot missile system launcher crew member. He had enlisted in the Army in January 2019 and had been stationed on Okinawa since January 2024, as detailed by Army spokesman Staff Sgt. Connor Davis in an email on Monday. The incident occurred while Cornish was riding eastward on Road 130, moving from the Chatan intersection towards the Zukeran intersection. According to a spokesman from Okinawa Prefectural Police, Cornish collided with guard pipes on the left side of the road. The impact was severe, causing him to “hit his whole body hard” before he fell off his motorcycle. The bike then slid into the opposite lane.

Cornish was pronounced dead at Naval Hospital Okinawa at approximately 3:20 p.m. The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, with local authorities actively involved in piecing together the sequence of events. Capt. Spatt noted, “We will continue to cooperate with the local authorities in the investigation.”

This incident marks the third motorcycle-related death involving U.S. service members on Okinawa this year. Earlier, in November, Marine Lance Cpl. Avery Wayne Leverette, 21, part of a support battalion at Camp Hansen, was killed when his motorcycle collided with another Marine’s bike on Route 329 in Kin town, leaving the other Marine injured. Another tragic loss was that of Marine Sgt. Hayden Steingold, 24, from Greenacres, Florida, who died on March 7 after his motorcycle collided with another vehicle on Route 58 in Ginowan city. Sgt. Steingold was assigned to Camp Foster with the 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group.

These accidents have raised concerns about motorcycle safety among military personnel on the island. Discussions are ongoing regarding the need for enhanced safety measures, training, and awareness campaigns specifically tailored for service members who ride motorcycles. The U.S. forces on Okinawa are known for their stringent safety protocols, but these recent incidents underscore the inherent risks of motorcycle riding, particularly in busy or unfamiliar areas.

The community and fellow service members are mourning the loss of Cornish, with many reflecting on the dangers of motorcycle riding and the importance of safety. Memorial services are being planned, and there’s a push for a thorough review of current safety practices to honor the memory of those lost by preventing future tragedies.

Okinawa is a Japanese prefecture comprising more than 150 islands in the East China Sea between Taiwan and Japan’s mainland. It’s known for its tropical climate, broad beaches and coral reefs, as well as World War II sites. On the largest island (also named Okinawa) is Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, commemorating a massive 1945 Allied invasion, and Churaumi Aquarium, home to whale sharks and manta rays.

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