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

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

US Coast Guard helicopter that crashed during rescue mission in Alaska is recovered

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A helicopter that crashed in southeast Alaska during a rescue mission last month has been recovered, the U.S. Coast Guard said Saturday. The downed Coast Guard helicopter was recovered Friday and an investigation was ongoing. The MH-60 Jayhawk crashed on Read Island, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) east of Sitka, on […]

8 minutes ago

Associated Press

Consumer product agency issues warning on small magnetic balls linked to deaths

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning about the danger of high-powered, pea-sized magnets found in toys, announcing one company’s recall of a set containing them and saying it was aware of seven deaths linked to their ingestion. The federal agency estimated that ingestion of the magnets led to 2,400 hospital emergency room visits […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation

NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (AP) — Over 100 animals –- both living and dead -– have been taken from a roadside zoo in western Virginia, according to court documents, as part of what state authorities are calling a criminal investigation. One search warrant executed Wednesday at the Natural Bridge Zoo in Rockbridge County shows that 89 […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Some Seattle cancer center patients are receiving threatening emails after last month’s data breach

SEATTLE (AP) — Some patients of a Seattle-based cancer center received threatening emails following a data breach last month. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center officials said a Nov. 19 hack hit a portion of the health care system’s clinical network, possibly leaking patient data. This week, some former and current patients received threatening emails claiming names, […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

South Carolina jury convicts inmate in first trial involving deadly prison riots

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina jurors have found an inmate guilty of charges connected to the death of a fellow inmate during the deadliest U.S. prison riot of the past quarter-century. The Lee County jury deliberated less than an hour on Friday before finding Michael Juan “Flame” Smith guilty of assault and battery by […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Police fatally shoot man who officers say charged them with knives in West Texas

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Officers investigating a domestic disturbance fatally shot a man who they said ran at them with knives in West Texas, police said Saturday. Manuel Guillen, 34, died at a hospital following the shooting in Lubbock Friday night, police spokesperson Amber Edwards said. Edwards said the officers were responding to a report […]

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

(KTAR News Graphic)...

KTAR launches online holiday auction benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

KTAR is teaming up with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley for a holiday auction benefitting thousands of Valley kids.

Follow @KTAR923...

The best ways to honor our heroes on Veterans Day and give back to the community

Veterans Day is fast approaching and there's no better way to support our veterans than to donate to the Military Assistance Mission.

Follow @KTAR923...

West Hunsaker at Morris Hall supports Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona

KTAR's Community Spotlight this month focuses on Morris Hall and its commitment to supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona.

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