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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Sgt. Evan Bunnell doesn’t remember the crash.
He does remember getting into his pickup, after drinking about a dozen beers at different bars last summer, Bunnell told a military judge during his Feb. 26 court-martial at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Members of his command told Bunnell later that he hit a car carrying two Marines that night, June 22.
One of the men, Lance Cpl. Bradlee Wilber, was killed.
Bunnell pleaded guilty to drunken driving and involuntary manslaughter. The judge, Maj. Glen Hines, sentenced the sergeant to six years in the brig, forfeiture of all pay and allowances during that time, and a bad conduct discharge.
Bunnell, assigned to Weapons Training Battalion, had been drinking since noon. When he got behind the wheel about 3 a.m., he did not turn on the truck’s headlights.
Driving south in the northbound lanes along U.S. 17 near Holly Ridge, N.C., Bunnell covered less than a mile before he rammed into a car driven by Sgt. Teddy Cardenas. Bunnell’s blood alcohol content was .19, more than twice the legal limit in North Carolina.
Cardenas suffered a traumatic brain injury. Doctors operated on Wilber at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C., but the 21-year-old from 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, was declared brain dead just hours after the crash.
Cardenas and a handful of other Marines, as well as members of Wilber’s family, testified during Bunnell’s court-martial.
“This is my first time in 17 years losing a Marine under my charge,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Collette, a motor transport operations chief with 2/6. “I was crushed.”
Members of his unit are currently deployed with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which deployed with the Norfolk, Va.-based Expeditionary Strike Group Iwo Jima in August.
“I have Marines on the [amphibious assault ship] Iwo Jima waiting right now for an e-mail from me on the outcome of this case,” Collette said. “They still hurt.”
Filed under: Military Industrial Complex | Tagged: 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, Bradlee Wilber, Camp Lejeune, Christopher Collette, Evan Bunnell, Expeditionary Strike Group Iwo Jima, Glen Hines, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Teddy Cardenas, USMC, Weapons Training Battalion |
Big Bear Observation Post 
I agree with my wife. Some thngs that she did not mention was Bunnell’s attitude as he left the courtroom. He showed no remorse. He made a token appology in the courtroom, but as he was ecorted out he had a smirk on his face like he just whipped the world. It was painful for us to see that. His family gets him back. We do not get Brad back. I left there feeling the court did not do all they could do.
Judge Bruce A. Wilber Jr.
Native American Dad Against Drunk Drivers
The military does a good job with making this look good on paper; Bunnell only had to serve less than a year in the brig and his family received his pay until he was given the bad conduct discharge.
Even though our son is in the spirit world continuing to do great things as he serves the creator, please talk to your children who are in the military about the importance of not driving while intoxicated, this can happen to you.
We know that many military members experience a lot of stress (our heart goes out to them) and need help as a result of their service to the United States; support your loved ones to get help. Bunnell indicated that he tried to seek help; but he chose to turn to alcohol which ruined our family and his.
Mr. Bunnell I think of your wife and children often and hope that you change your life around to be the kind of father that my son could have been.
Shannon Wilber,
Native American Mom Against Drunk Drivers