Elderly man dies on his way, driving through the desert valley in the northern reaches of the Mojave Valley after he ran out of gas amid horrifically high temperatures.
67-year-old David W. Kelleher’s body was spotted by a visitor in a park where he visited a few days before his death.
According to the National Park Service, Kelleher was driving through the valley when he ran out of gas, abandoned his car and entered the park.
Authorities revealed that the victim was trying to make it from Zabriskie Point to Furnace Creek.
In a report released by the Fox News, National Park Service explained why the team had a tough time finding Mr. Kelleher after he ran out of gas and left a scribbled message saying so with his abandoned car.
“After discovering that the vehicle was registered to Kelleher and learned that there was no missing person report on him. A records search also showed that a park ranger had cited Kelleher for off-road driving on May 30. The ground and aerial search was limited by hot weather. The search focused on the Golden Canyon and Badlands Trails.” The report said.
Moreover, authorities also revealed that a ranger noticed a car in Zabriskie Point parking log on June 8 and saw the same car at the same spot three days later.
At the time of discovery, the heat wave caused record temperatures, up to 123 degrees.
Furthermore, the body of the victim was later found just two and a half miles from his vehicle.
Following his tragic death, Park Service encourages the Death Valley park’s visitors to not “go hiking, particularly in the lower elevation areas, after 10 am, and to always bring plenty of water and salty snacks with them when they do go hiking so as to remain hydrated and compensate for electrolyte loss.”
Mr. Kelleher’s death is the second one this month.
Just recently, 69-year old John McCarry from Long Beach, was found dead at the beginning of the month.
However, his body has not yet been found, a search is ongoing for Peter Harootunian, who had to abandon his car like Mr. Kelleher.
