Road closures, processional information released for Police memorial service

LORAIN — More details were released about the public memorial service Wednesday for a Lorain police officer killed last week. The memorial service for Officer Phillip Wagner, 35, will be Wednesday morning at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Prior to the service, Wagner's body will be transported from Liston Funeral Home in North Ridgeville to the stadium. The processional to Cleveland, and from Rocket Arena to Wagner's burial in Bellevue, will cause traffic delays and road closures. The processional into Cleveland will start about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday outside Liston Funeral Home, 36403 Center Ridge Road. The group, including a number of Lorain police vehicles, will travel eastbound on Center Ridge Road, south on Lear Nagle Road, east on Lorain Road and pick up Interstate 480 eastbound into Cleveland. Center Ridge Road from Stoney Ridge Road to Maddock Road will be closed starting around 6:30 a.m. for vehicles to stage for the procession. In Cleveland, starting at 8 a.m., East Ninth Street at Carnegie Avenue, Sumner Avenue, Prospect Avenue, Bolivar Road and Huron Road; East Eighth Street at Huron Road, East Seventh Street at Huron Road and East Sixth Street at Huron Road will be closed. Starting at 9 a.m., Ontario Street between Carnegie Avenue and Huron Road will be closed. Wagner's service at Rocket Arena is expected to start at 11 a.m., with doors to the public open at 10 a.m. After his memorial service, the funeral procession will head west on I-90 out of Cleveland and pick up the Ohio Turnpike. The group will continue westbound on the Turnpike to exit 110 at state Route 4 north, then continue onto Portland Road West and take Portland Road to Flat Rock Road South. It will take Flat Rock Road (County Road 308) to U.S. Route 20 west, then Riddle Road to York Chapel, 2252 County Road 292, Bellevue. The graveside service is private. State Highway Patrol will have highway entrances shut down during the processional. Elyria Highway Patrol Post Commander Lt. Ray Santiago expected the westbound closures to take place in the early afternoon. Members of the public attending Wagner's services are asked to arrive early to go through security screenings, including bag checks. The public entrance will be the Cliffs entrance at Huron Road and East Sixth Street. According to Rocket Arena's security procedures, backpacks and purses larger than 14 inches by 14 inches by 6 inches are prohibited. Lorain city and school offices, as well as the Lorain Municipal Court and Lorain County Common Pleas will be closed on Wednesday. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.