Officials have confirmed that a 57-year-old man passed away due to heat exposure at Death Valley National Park earlier this month, making it the second heat-related fatality at the park this summer.
The man, identified as Peter Hayes Robino from Los Angeles County, tragically lost his life after completing a 1-mile round-trip hike on the Natural Bridge Trail, as reported by park officials. Eyewitnesses saw him stumbling and struggling, but he refused any assistance.
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Robino then purportedly drove his vehicle off a 20-foot drop at the edge of the trailhead’s parking area. Park rangers rushed to help and tried to save him, but unfortunately, Robino was pronounced dead.
An autopsy conducted by the Inyo County Coroner revealed that the man’s cause of death was hyperthermia.
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In July, another motorcyclist succumbed to heat exposure while visiting the park, with a second individual requiring hospitalization.
Known as one of the most scorching locations on the planet, Death Valley officials persist in advising visitors to steer clear of extreme heat and stay hydrated.