Traffic Alert: Funeral Procession for Fallen Officer Will Cause Delays

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Authorities are warning drivers that funeral and burial services for Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta will affect Tuesday’s traffic in the region.

Leotta, 24, died Thursday after he was hit by a suspected drunk driver Dec. 3 during a traffic stop on Rockville Pike as part of a holiday task force fighting drunk driving.

Leotta was a Sherwood High School graduate, and attended Montgomery College. He interned with the Police Department from December 2011 to January 2013, and was then hired as a Montgomery County Police Officer. Leotta was assigned to the 4th District as a patrol officer.

Funeral Service

• The funeral is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., although attendees will be arriving early at the Covenant Life Church, 7501 Muncaster Mill Road in Gaithersburg. This will affect the morning commute.
• From about 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the section of Muncaster Mill Road between Shady Grove Road and Woodfield Road, where Covenant Life Church is located, will only be open to those people attending the funeral. Through traffic will not be permitted.
• There will be congestion and delays on roadways surrounding the area of the church before, during, and after the service. People not attending the service are urged to avoid the area.
• Note to those attending the funeral: Attendees are asked to travel on Shady Grove Road to Muncaster Mill Road to make a right turn into the church parking lot. Following this route will aid officers who will be directing traffic.

Procession to the Judean Memorial Gardens/Interment

The procession will depart from the church at about 1:15 p.m. The procession will take about one hour to arrive at the Judean Memorial Gardens, 16225 Batchellors Forest Road in Olney.

Following the service at the church, the procession will take the following route to the Judean Memorial Gardens:

• Travel southeast on MD 115 (Muncaster Mill Road)
• Turn left onto Bowie Mill Road
• Turn right onto Route 108 (Olney Laytonsville Road)
• Turn right onto Georgia Avenue
• Turn left onto Batchellors Forest Road

When the procession begins, ALL roads along the procession route (see above) will be closed for the duration of the procession (about one hour, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m.)

Interment

Judean Memorial Gardens, 16225 Batchellors Forest Road, Olney. From about 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., northbound Georgia Avenue from Route 28 to Emory Lane will be reduced to one lane. Expect delays.

SEE ALSO: Police Chief Denounces ‘Drunk Driver,’ State’s Weak Laws

Montgomery Officer Struck By Car Dies Thursday

Anyone wishing to send condolences to Noah’s family may:

E-mail his family at: [email protected]

The mailbox is designated for sending thoughts and prayers to Officer Leotta’s family. Because of the volume of mail, the family is unable to respond to any requests, questions, and/or comments.

People may deliver or mail cards/messages to: The Leotta Family, Montgomery County Police Department – 4th District, 2300 Randolph Road, Wheaton, MD 20902

Anyone wishing to make donations:

Leotta’s family has requested that anyone wishing to make donations in his memory make them to the following organizations:

• Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (M.A.D.D.), 10440 Shaker Drive, #207, Columbia, MD 21046 or www.madd.org
• HEROES, Inc., 1200 29th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20007 orwww.heroes.org
• Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), P.O. Box 3199, Camdenton, MO 65020 or www.nationalcops.org

»Photo of Officer Noah Leotta, courtesy of Montgomery County Police