UNITED STATES NEWS

3 US Marines died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a car. Vehicle experts explain how that can happen

Aug 1, 2023, 9:09 AM

FILE - Cars give off exhaust fumes in Montpelier, Vt., Monday, Jan. 26, 2009. The deaths of three U...

FILE - Cars give off exhaust fumes in Montpelier, Vt., Monday, Jan. 26, 2009. The deaths of three U.S. Marines who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in a parked car at a North Carolina gas station in July 2023, have stirred speculation about how the situation could have occurred outdoors. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The seemingly accidental deaths of three U.S. Marines who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in a parked car at a North Carolina gas station have raised questions about how the situation could have occurred outdoors.

Deputies from the Pender County Sheriff’s Office had found the men unresponsive in a privately owned Lexus sedan in the coastal community of Hampstead. Autopsies performed last week by the North Carolina medical examiner’s office determined that all three died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Sgt. Chester Ward from the sheriff’s office said the ongoing investigation indicates it was accidental.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that many U.S. carbon monoxide deaths occur inside homes or closed garages, automotive experts say certain vehicle malfunctions can cause casualties outdoors.

Usually, those malfunctions are loud or smelly. If a car’s exhaust system is broken or is leaking into the cabin, passengers would typically hear the engine making noises, said Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. Corrosion on an older car, such as the one involved in the Marines’ deaths, can cause the hood to fill up with exhaust gases, which Fisher said can then get sucked into the cabin through an intake cavity between the hood and the windshield.

“You will absolutely hear a noise,” he said. “There would be a lot of warning, and that’s why a case like this is very rare.”

Although carbon monoxide has no odor or color, an exhaust leak would also release other chemicals with a noticeable smell, Fisher said.

Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide reduces the ability of blood to carry oxygen to the body’s organs. It can cause throbbing headaches, disorientation and drowsiness, followed by unconsciousness, convulsions and eventually death.

It’s nearly impossible for carbon monoxide poisoning to occur in a vehicle without notice, Fisher said, unless the passengers are already asleep or impaired.

Officials haven’t released a toxicology report or explained the details leading up to the Marines’ deaths.

They could have been resting at the gas station with the air conditioning on and set it to recirculate cabin air, said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering for AAA. If exhaust fumes had seeped inside, air conditioning set to recirculate would not pull in any outside air to mix with the exhaust, causing the poisoning.

“Trying to take a nap in a running car is never a good idea, in my estimation,” Brannon said. “The recirculating air is the most efficient way to cool a vehicle. And also more dangerous for this very reason.”

If the air conditioning had not been set to recirculate, it could have pulled in fresh air and pushed out the contaminated air, he explained.

Three Marine lance corporals from Camp Lejeune died in the incident, including Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19, of Madison, Wisconsin, Merax C. Dockery, 23, of Seminole, Oklahoma, and Ivan R. Garcia, 23, of Naples, Florida. Sheriff’s deputies found them on an early Sunday morning, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of their base, after the mother of one of the Marines reported her son missing.

Rust likely formed holes in the car’s exhaust and floor, letting fumes from the engine into the passenger compartment, Brannon said. Salt exposure from the ocean can cause rust, Fisher said, and older car parts can develop leaks over time. Garcia’s 2000 Lexus had traveled with him from Florida.

If the car had also spent some of its life in northern states where corrosive salt is used to clear the roads of snow and ice, holes from rust formation would be highly probable, Brannon said.

Sitting in an idling car for a long time is usually safe, Fisher said. But drivers should keep an eye out for warning signs and have them inspected annually. Vehicles are more prone to exhaust leaks after a crash and should be inspected before they are put back on the road.

“Engines emit a lot of very dangerous chemicals and gases,” Fisher said. “If your car is not running right and you hear it sounding funny, you really do need to get it checked out.”

___

Associated Press auto writer Tom Krisher contributed reporting from Detroit.

United States News

Associated Press

New York attorney general sends cease-and-desist letter to group accused of voter intimidation

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The New York attorney general’s office on Thursday sent a cease-and-desist letter to a group accused of confronting voters at their homes while claiming to be state election officials and falsely accusing people of committing voter fraud. The letter orders the group NY Citizens Audit to immediately stop any voter intimidation […]

12 minutes ago

Associated Press

1 killed, multiple people hurt as bus carrying children crashes on New York highway

WAWAYANDA, N.Y. (AP) — A charter bus carrying schoolchildren crashed on a New York highway and went down an embankment Thursday, killing one person and hurting multiple other people, police said. The wreck happened on Interstate 84 in the town of Wawayanda, about 45 miles northwest of New York City, state police said. The bus […]

38 minutes ago

Associated Press

Former US Sen. Dick Clark, an Iowa Democrat known for helping Vietnam War refugees, has died at 95

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Dick Clark, a Democrat who unexpectedly won a single term representing Iowa in the 1970s after campaigning by walking around the state, and who later played a key role in aiding refugees after the Vietnam War, has died. He was 95. Clark died Wednesday at his home […]

1 hour ago

FILE - A road cuts through a flooded area south of Perry, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane ...

Associated Press

Florida agriculture losses between $78M and $371M from Hurricane Idalia, preliminary estimate says

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida agriculture losses from Hurricane Idalia are estimated at between $78 million and $371 million, with producers also suffering widespread damage to such infrastructure as irrigation rigs and fences, according to a preliminary report Thursday from the University of Florida. The Category 3 hurricane came ashore Aug. 30 along Florida’s […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Senate confirms new army chief as one senator’s objection holds up other military nominations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is confirming three of the Pentagon’s top leaders, filling the posts after monthslong delays and as a Republican senator is still holding up hundreds of other nominations and promotions for military officers. Gen. Randy George was confirmed as Army Chief of Staff on Thursday, and Gen. Eric Smith is expected […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Biden says Norfolk Southern must be held accountable for Ohio derailment but won’t declare disaster

President Joe Biden ordered federal agencies to continue holding Norfolk Southern accountable for its February derailment in eastern Ohio and appoint a FEMA official to oversee East Palestine’s recovery, but he still stopped short of declaring a disaster. Biden issued the executive order Wednesday evening. Part of the order essentially directed the environmental, health and […]

2 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Ignite Digital

How to unlock the power of digital marketing for Phoenix businesses

All businesses around the Valley hopes to maximize their ROI with current customers and secure a greater market share in the digital sphere.

...

Mayo Clinic

Game on! Expert sports physicals focused on you

With tryouts quickly approaching, now is the time for parents to schedule physicals for their student-athlete. The Arizona Interscholastic Association requires that all student-athletes must have a physical exam completed before participating in team practices or competition.

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

3 US Marines died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a car. Vehicle experts explain how that can happen