Three Marines were found deceased from carbon monoxide poisoning inside car @ the Speedway gas station, Hampstead, NC, 23 July '23

[dotr]

3 Marines found dead in vehicle at North Carolina gas station died of carbon monoxide poisoning

The Marines were identified as Lance Cpl. Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19; Lance Cpl. Merax C. Dockery, 23; and Lance Cpl. Ivan R. Garcia, 23.

www.nbcnews.com

Lance Cpl. Tanner J. Kaltenberg, Lance Cpl. Ivan R. Garcia and Lance Cpl. Merax C. Dockery.2d Marine Logistics Group
''The Marines were found in a vehicle at a Speedway gas station in Hampstead, about 30 miles southwest of Camp Lejeune, where they were based, the sheriff's office and the Marine Corps said.
Deputies were investigating a separate missing person case when they received a call just before 8:30 a.m. Sunday from the mother of one of the Marines, who said he had not arrived on a scheduled flight to Oklahoma, the sheriff's office said in a news release. The woman said she spoke with her son's unit supervisor, who said someone was en route to the Speedway to look for the Marine, authorities said.''

Autopsy indicates carbon monoxide poisoning caused death of three Marines found dead in Pender Co.

Three marines were found inside a car early Sunday morning at the Speedway in Hampstead, according to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office.

www.wect.com

''HAMPSTEAD, N.C. (WECT) - Three Marines were found inside a car on Sunday, July 23, at the Speedway in Hampstead, according to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office.

The autopsy indicated that the Marines died of carbon monoxide poisoning, the PCSO said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Marine Logistics Group said on Tuesday that the three were Marines and identified them as

• Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19, from Madison, Wisconsin
• Merax C. Dockery, 23, from Pottawatomie, Oklahoma
• Ivan R. Garcia, 23, from Naples, Florida

Sgt. Chester Ward with the sheriff’s office said Monday that foul play is not suspected.

The PCSO says that a woman called 911 on Sunday at 8:22 a.m., saying her son was stationed at Camp Lejeune and hadn’t arrived for a flight in Oklahoma. She said she had talked to a supervisor in his unit and that someone was on the way to the location to see if they could find him.

Another call came in to the PCSO at 9:03 p.m. saying that a missing person was found dead along with two other marines inside a vehicle at the Speedway gas station.''

 

[Laughing]

Any updates??? My Google-Fu is lacking today....

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[scriabina]

This is horrible. While all three were motor vehicle operators, it's likely that their deaths were due to a defective exhaust system or some other defect causing CO emissions inside the car. Had they tried to fix something quickly on the road and made a mistake, or was this just a fluke? So scary how easily one can die from CO poisoning. Makes me want to trade in my gas engine car for an electric one stat.

 

[dotr]

July 27 2023

911 calls reveal more information on morning trio of Marines were found dead in car

Released 911 calls are providing more details to the discovery of three Marines deceased in a car at a Hampstead Speedway gas station.

wpde.com

''HAMPSTEAD, Pender County — Released 911 calls are providing more details to the discovery of three Marines deceased in a car at a Hampstead Speedway gas station.''

''A second call to 911 was from a man that described himself as an Officer from Camp Lejeune. The man said that he was off-duty and had been looking for some Marines. He said that he located the three men in a car and that he believed the men to be deceased. The vehicle was described as a Lexus LS 400 and a copy of the incident command log later revealed the car to be a year 2000 model. The man said he believed the men to be deceased based on the stiffness of the bodies and an absence of a pulse. The man said that the three men in the car looked like they had fallen asleep in the vehicle and that there did not appear to be any types of wounds. The call continued until emergency officials were dispatched and arrived. The man identified all three Marines by name during the call.''

 

[Laughing]

This is horrible. While all three were motor vehicle operators, it's likely that their deaths were due to a defective exhaust system or some other defect causing CO emissions inside the car. Had they tried to fix something quickly on the road and made a mistake, or was this just a fluke? So scary how easily one can die from CO poisoning. Makes me want to trade in my gas engine car for an electric one stat.

(sort of a problem with catching on fire with electric...and still the energy must be generated...somehow)

Were the other two driving a friend to the airport? Are any of them on video, shopping in the covenince store? Did they buy gas? Were they having a cigar (or, no judgement, something else) in the closed car?

I have plenty of questions about 3 people able to meet Marine Corps physical fitness standards suddenly passing.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[dotr]

A bit surprising that not one of the three noticed unusual symptoms...imo.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/26/us/marines-dead-north-carolina-carbon-monoxide/index.html#:~:text=Merax%20C.%20Dockery%2C%20Lance%20Cpl,Tanner%20J.%20Kaltenberg.&text=Three%20Marines%20who%20were%20found,the%20Pender%20County%20Sheriff%27s%20Office.

''Hampstead is about 17 miles northeast of Wilmington and about 40 miles south of Camp Lejeune''

https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/28/health/carbon-monoxide-poisoning-explainer

''How does carbon monoxide poisoning happen?​

Dangerous situations occur when carbon monoxide is trapped in poorly ventilated, contained spaces where people are, according to the Mayo Clinic. Carbon monoxide poisonings are sometimes seen when people attempt to use generators indoors after a power outage.

If there is too much carbon monoxide in the air you are breathing, your ability to absorb oxygen can be diminished, resulting in serious tissue damage.

More than 400 Americans die every year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it is responsible for more than 20,000 people visiting the emergency room annually.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?​

The initial symptoms are flu-like, but without a fever. They may include dull headache, weakness, dizziness and nausea. High-level poisoning can result in vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision and loss of consciousness.''

VIDEO

https://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/2017/07/15/carbon-monoxide-ford-police-suv.cnn

''Police in several states are removing several Ford Interceptor SUVs from service because they claim that carbon monoxide has been leaking into the cabins and poisoning officers. Ford says after an investigation it has so far found no evidence of a problem.''

 

[Laughing]

If all three were asleep? Decided to take a nap, left the engine running for the AC in the low country heat & humidity?

No idea otherwise.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[GoBuckeyes]

This is horrible. While all three were motor vehicle operators, it's likely that their deaths were due to a defective exhaust system or some other defect causing CO emissions inside the car. Had they tried to fix something quickly on the road and made a mistake, or was this just a fluke? So scary how easily one can die from CO poisoning. Makes me want to trade in my gas engine car for an electric one stat.

If they were stopping to rest for a few, I wonder why no one cracked a window or windows? How sad. Rest In Peace, Marines.

 

[?!?]

Pure guesswork: some 'stranger' wanted to off them because they were Marines, and plugged the tailpipe.

What kind/year of vehicle?

 

[dotr]

https://wcti12.com/news/local/911-calls-reveal-more-information-morning-trio-of-marines-were-found-dead-in-car

'' The vehicle was described as a Lexus LS 400 and a copy of the incident command log later revealed the car to be a year 2000 model. ''

Car mechanic details exhaust leak as possible cause for carbon monoxide poisoning

“One way or another, whether you have an exhaust leak or port is bad, it’s causing those gases to leak out. And even though you think you’re in [an] open area [and] it’s leaking out into the air, it still has that capability of getting into the vehicle and sealing itself into the vehicle while...

www.wect.com

''This is still an ongoing investigation but many of you at home have been asking how these men could have died from carbon monoxide poisoning from inside the car.

Daniel Bostic, the manager at Black’s Tire and Auto, says that even though you might smell the exhaust gas--you can’t see or smell the actual carbon monoxide from it.''

''One way or another, whether you have an exhaust leak or port is bad, it’s causing those gases to leak out. And even though you think you’re in [an] open area [and] it’s leaking out into the air, it still has that capability of getting into the vehicle and sealing itself into the vehicle while you’re inside,” Bostic said.

He says if there was a mechanical problem with the car, nine out of 10 times newer cars will detect a problem. A light would pop up on your dashboard, like the check engine light, and it’s then in your best interest to have a mechanic take a look at it and fix the problem so it doesn’t end in a tragedy.''

Three Marines found in vehicle in North Carolina, including 19-year-old Madison man, died of carbon monoxide poisoning

Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19, of Madison was one of three U.S. Marines found dead Sunday at a Speedway gas station.

www.jsonline.com

''The three men were all motor vehicle operators in the 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune, a base on the Atlantic coast in the city of Jacksonville.

Kaltenberg entered active-duty service in May 2021, the Marines said. Before Camp Lejeune, he was based in San Diego at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and in Missouri at Fort Leonard Wood.

His military awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Medal, the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon and the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Marines said.

Kaltenberg attended Verona Area High School and played baseball and hockey, according to Madison-area news reports from his prep sports career.''

 

[Ladyotm]

If all three were asleep? Decided to take a nap, left the engine running for the AC in the low country heat & humidity?

No idea otherwise.

jmho ymmv lrr

Imo...they were driving along and started experiencing symptoms. Maybe pulled over to "rest" and subsequently died. I wonder how the vehicle was parked, correctly or haphazardly. This loss of life is so sad.

 

[OldCop]

If all three were asleep? Decided to take a nap, left the engine running for the AC in the low country heat & humidity?

No idea otherwise.

jmho ymmv lrr

That was my exact thought. It has been brutally hot in NC the last couple of weeks with heat indexes in the 100’s.
However, I have a couple of questions on the whole timeline. The Marine’s mother called the base about her missing son at 8:22 Sunday morning. He was supposed to have flown in the night before at 11:00 pm
Presumably he was flying into Okla City from Wilmington, (If he was flying out of Raleigh, they would not have taken the road where the car was found.) There are no direct flights from Wilmington, NC to OKC. The last connecting flight to OKC from Wilmington on Saturday left at 6:25pm. He would have arrived in OKC around 10:30\11:00 pm fitting right in with his mother’s statement.
It is about an hour and a half from Camp Lejeune to Wilmington. They would have had to leave no later than about 4:15pm to get that last flight. However, the Marine who was supposed to have flown out had left his car and luggage on base. His mother last talked to him on Friday. Could the Marines have actually gone into Wilmington on Friday night to visit the bars and/or restaurants and have been returning to Camp Lejuene early Saturday morning when they pulled into the gas station?
Just how long was this car parked at the Speedway?
Saturday is beach and party day for many of the young Marines stationed at Lejeune. Mixing sun with a few drinks can really tire you out. I am not saying this is why the three young men pulled over, but it is another theory to be considered. Something made them tired enough to pull over and lay their heads back. They probably would not have cracked a window because of the heat. Or, as @Ladyotm mentioned above, they may have experienced systems and pulled over. If they were headed to the airport on Saturday though, why didn’t the young man have his luggage with him?
I don’t think there is foul play involved here but just a freak accident that took the lives of these three young men.
Very sad.