A Los Angeles man became the second hiker to die of heat exposure in Death Valley this summer after he apparently became confused and drove his car off a steep hill.
57-year-old Peter Hayes Robino had only hiked a 1-mile circular path on August 1, but with temperatures reaching 119 degrees Fahrenheit that day, Robino quickly became disoriented. From USA Today:
Witnesses offered to help Robino, but he refused with responses that "did not make sense," according to the park service.
Robino then got into his car to exit the park, but drove off a steep 20-foot embankment at the edge of the parking lot, park officials said. The car rolled over and the airbags deployed in the crash.
Robino was able to exit the vehicle and walk to a shaded area of the parking lot as a bystander called 911. He was still breathing when emergency responders with the park arrived at 4:10 p.m., but died within the hour despite receiving CPR and being moved into an air-conditioned ambulance, park officials said.
An autopsy found that Robino had died from hyperthermia, which can cause blurred vision, dizziness, and delirium.
In July, a motorcyclist died in Death Valley from heat exhaustion after touring the area in 128-degree weather.
If for some strange reason you decide to visit Death Valley National Park in the summer, park rangers strongly advise you to:
• Avoid the heat by staying in or near air-conditioning
• Not hike after 10 am at low elevations
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat salty snacks
Or better yet, wait until temperatures cool down to a scorching 95 degrees in the fall.
