A warning sign used by German police sits on the hood of a car.

A U.S. soldier has died following a car crash on a German federal highway in Bavaria in which two cars skidded into oncoming traffic and struck a tractor-trailer. (Albert Morel/U.S. Air Force)

By MATTHEW M. BURKE 
STARS AND STRIPES

Published August 28, 2026

A U.S. soldier has died following a car crash on a German federal highway in Bavaria in which two cars skidded into oncoming traffic and struck a tractor-trailer, according to German media reports.

The crash occurred around 9 a.m. on Friday on the B299 near Gebenbach, the German newspaper Bild reported late Friday.

The soldier was reportedly one of two service members behind the wheel of separate BMWs when both drivers lost control and crossed into the opposite lane.

The 22-year-old’s vehicle slammed into a tractor-trailer operated by a 41-year-old driver, Bild said. The truck and one of the cars then burst into flames. The soldier was trapped in the wreckage and died at the scene, the outlet reported.

The 30-year-old driver of the second BMW and the driver of the truck received only minor injuries.

The crash remains under investigation, the outlet said. The road was closed for hours after the crash.

A spokesperson for U.S. Army Europe and Africa did not immediately respond to a request for more information Friday evening. 

Gebenbach is about 20 miles south of the major U.S. Army training hub at Tower Barracks in Grafenwoehr.

Matthew M. Burke headshot

Matthew M. Burke has been reporting from Grafenwoehr, Germany, for Stars and Stripes since 2024. The Massachusetts native and UMass Amherst alumnus previously covered Okinawa, Sasebo Naval Base and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, for the news organization. His work has also appeared in the Boston Globe, Cape Cod Times and other publications.

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