Barnegat boat crash kills 28-year-old National Guard member; injured loved ones mourn

➡️ State Police said a Barnegat man died after a boat hit a marker in Barnegat Bay

➡️All six people aboard were injured in the collision Monday evening

➡️The cause of the crash remains under investigation

BARNEGAT — What began as a Memorial Day with family on the Barnegat Bay ended in the death of a young National Guard member and heartbreak for the loved ones who were also injured in the tragedy.

Gunnar Pearson, 28, of Barnegat, died after the boat he was riding in slammed into a day marker around 5:45 p.m. Pearson and his girlfriend were thrown into the water during the crash and rushed to a hospital, according to State Police.

Pearson had been spending the holiday with his parents, brother and their girlfriends when the accident happened, according to Jersey Shore Online and The SandPaper. All six were injured.

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Former lifeguard, National Guard member

Pearson ran track at Barnegat High School and Stockton University and was a former lifeguard in Ship Bottom. He was also a member of the New Jersey National Guard, according to a GoFundMe campaign and Barnegat American Legion Post 232.

"Gunnar was a caring individual whose friendly disposition invited everyone to befriend him. He loved running track, his country, fishing, and most of all spending time with his family and friends," campaign creator Samantha Miskin said. "His sudden passing has created an immeasurable void in the lives of everyone who knew and loved him.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation by State Police.

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