Man Found Dead Death Valley: Park officials said, A California man was found dead in Death Valley National Park after running out of gas and walking in an extreme heat wave.
According to a news release from the National Park Service, the body of 67-year-old David Kelleher was found on Tuesday, nearly a week after he ran out of gas.
On June 8, a park ranger abandoned a vehicle in the Zabriskie Point parking lot. Three days later, the same ranger spotted the vehicle during a heat wave, causing temperatures to reach 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
The statement said the park learned that the car was registered in Kelleher, Huntington Beach. A records search found he was cited for off-road driving on May 30.
“A crumpled note inside Kelleher’s vehicle said, ‘Out of gas,'” the statement said.
Kelleher was not reported missing and a ground search was limited due to hot weather.
Around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Kelleher’s body was found 2.5 miles from his vehicle and 30-feet from California Highway 190 surrounded by terrain.
This is the park’s second fatality in the park this month. The body of 69-year-old John McCarry was found on June 1 in Panamint Valley, according to the statement.
“The National Park Service encourages park visitors to stay safe in the summer by not hiking at low elevations after 10 a.m., staying within a short walk of air conditioning, drinking plenty of water, and eating salty snacks,” the statement said.
