Raul Pacheco, 28, was serving at MCAS Beaufort, had recently joined City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department through SkillBridge program
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
A 28-year-old Marine who was preparing to leave the military and begin a new career as a local firefighter was killed Saturday night in a motor vehicle collision near Laurel Bay and Shanklin roads.
Raul Pacheco, of Florida, died at the scene of the Aug. 22 collision at approximately 9:34 p.m., according to the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office.
His cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.
Pacheco was serving in the U.S. Marine Corps in Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and had recently begun working with the City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department through the Department of Defense SkillBridge Program.
Just 10 days before his death, the fire department publicly welcomed Pacheco to its SkillBridge program, saying he would spend the next several months working with the department as he transitioned out of the Marine Corps.
Pacheco, who was originally from Miami, Fla., was preparing to begin the next chapter of his career as a firefighter/EMT with the local department.
The SkillBridge program allows eligible service members nearing the end of their military service to participate in civilian job training and work experiences during their final months in the military.
In its Aug. 12 announcement, the fire department said Pacheco hoped to use the opportunity to continue developing his skills alongside its firefighters, with a goal of becoming “the best fire service professional he can be.”
The move was also intended to mark the beginning of a new chapter for Pacheco’s family.
According to the department, Pacheco and his wife had decided to make Beaufort County their home with their son and were looking forward to becoming active members of the community and building their future in the area.
Details about the circumstances surrounding Saturday night’s collision have not yet been released by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The Island News has reached out to Marine Corps officials and the City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department for additional information about Pacheco’s military service, transition to becoming a firefighter and for comment on his death.
This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.