Expect slow traffic: Motorcade planned Monday evening for Naples Marine killed in NC
The Southwest Florida community will pay tribute to a fallen Marine on Monday night as a motorcade escorts his remains from Southwest Florida International Airport to a Naples funeral home.
Authorities are alerting of potential impacts to evening traffic, while organizers ask the community to honor Lance Cpl. Ivan Garcia, 23, who died July 23 with two others from carbon monoxide poisoning in Hampstead, North Carolina.
The sheriff's office said it will result in temporary traffic impacts as the motorcade, which will also include escorts from Naples Police, Cape Coral Police, Florida Highway Patrol and Lee County Sheriff's Office, makes its way into Naples from Lee County.
The motorcade is expected to leave the airport at 7 p.m., take Interstate 75 to exit 101 toward Collier Boulevard and head south. From Collier Boulevard, authorities say, the procession will travel west onto Davis Boulevard to Naples Funeral Home, at the intersection with Airport-Pulling Road.
"Members of the public who want to show their support along the route of the procession are asked to remain on the sidewalks and out of the roadways," the sheriff's office wrote.
The public is asked to wave flags, and businesses along the route are asked to lower their flags to half staff.
What we know about Marine Lance Cpl. Ivan Garcia
A 2019 graduate from Lely High School, in Naples, Garcia entered active-duty service in the Marines that July. He completed one year of JROTC during his time at Lely High.
The Marine lance corporal was found dead inside a parked car with two other Marines: Lance Cpl. Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19, from Madison, Wisconsin, and Lance Cpl. Merax C. Dockery, 23, from Pottawatomie, Oklahoma.
Pender County Sheriff Alan Cutler said authorities found them at a Speedway gas station on U.S. 47 in Hampstead, about 30 miles south of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Prior to Camp Lejeune, Garcia was stationed in San Diego at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, as well as in Missouri's Fort Leonard Wood. He was also based at the Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina.
He was a motor vehicle operator with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, according to a statement from the 2nd Marine Logistics Group.
His military awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and Global War on Terror Service Medal.
According to autopsies, the three died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
A visitation for Garcia is set Tuesday between 9 a.m. and noon at Naples Funeral Home, 3107 Davis Blvd. Following the visitation, a burial is planned at Palm Royale Cemetery and Mausoleum, 6790 Vanderbilt Beach Rd.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Ivan Garcia: Motorcade planned for Naples Marine killed in NC
