3 Mountain Home airmen confirmed dead in Idaho crash

The Air Force confirmed three airmen were among the four killed in a vehicle accident in Idaho on Saturday.

Senior Airman Carlos V. Johnson, Senior Airman Lawrence P. Manlapit III and Senior Airman Karlie A. Westall died in a seven-car accident on Interstate 84 in Boise.

The three airmen were stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base.

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By Charlsy Panzino

Johnson was an operations management journeyman with the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron. Originally from Panama, he moved to Florida and joined the Air Force in 2015. His awards include the Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and Air Force Good Conduct Medal.

Manlapit was an avionics systems journeyman with the 391st Fighter Squadron. He joined the Air Force in 2014 and had been at Mountain Home since 2015. His awards include the Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

Westall was an air traffic control journeyman with the 366th Operations Support Squadron. She joined the Air Force in 2015 and had been at Mountain Home since 2016. Her awards include the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

“I am devastated by the loss of our airmen,” said Col. Joe Kunkel, 366th Fighter Wing commander, in the news release. “The upcoming weeks will be tough on all of us, but I know the Gunfighter family will pull together to support each other as well as the family and friends impacted by this tragic event.”

Idaho State Police told KBOI-TV that the crash involved seven vehicles in a construction zone. According to police, a semi-truck and SUV had slowed down when a second commercial truck hit the two vehicles from behind. Four other vehicles were involved.

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