PEA RIDGE, Ark. — Details for the procession route for fallen Pea Ridge Officer Kevin Apple have been revealed. The procession will be for law enforcement officers and first responders only and will close a section of the southbound lanes of I-49.
Officer Apple was killed Saturday (June 26) while responding to a suspicious vehicle at a gas station. He was struck and killed by a car driven by 22-year-old Shawna Cash. Cash and another person in the vehicle have been charged with capital murder.
Pea Ridge Officers and Officer Apple's family will meet at Callison-Lough Funeral Home Friday (July 2). From there, the procession will leave at 10 a.m. and travel east on East Central (Hwy 72). As this part of the procession clears through the intersection of Central and Moberly, all other agencies will then fall in behind and continue to follow.
All other law enforcement agencies wishing to participate are asked to meet at Memorial Park at 401 NE Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Bentonville. Officers will be on the scene to direct traffic.
Once officers fall into the procession, the procession will continue east on Highway 72 to Pea Ridge. The procession will continue into Pea Ridge and then turn south onto Highway 94 through Highway 94 and Highway 102.
At Highway 102, the procession will turn right and go West on Highway 102 all the way to I-49. Once on the interstate, the procession will then go Southbound.
Arkansas State Police will have the southbound section of the interstate completely shut down.
The procession will exit off at the New Hope exit (exit 83) and go south on Pinnacle Hills Parkway, then into the entrance of Cross Church where Officer Apple's funeral will take place.
The funeral starts at 12:00 p.m.
Following the funeral, Officer Apple will be transported back to the funeral home with a small escort and procession. This will be limited to Pea Ridge officers and family only.
Since his death, Apple's colleagues in the community have reflected back on his impact on Pea Ridge.
“It’s a tremendous void that will be very difficult to fill for Kevin Apple in this department, in fact, I think it will be impossible, in his own unique way,” says Lieutenant Michael Lisenbee.
“I have received so many messages from the public about how he has changed people's lives and helped children. For his whole career, he has helped people. We have an elderly lady, I found out this morning, he went by there one time and he’s been going back there every day and making sure she’s okay. That’s just the kind of man Apple was,” says Chief Lynn Hahn.
You can watch Officer Apple's precession and funeral on the 5NEWS website, app and social media pages.