Officials from Death Valley National Park in California believe that 67-year-old David Kelleher’s car ran out of gas in the desert shortly before he perished. His body was found around 2 p.m. Tuesday by park visitors.
“Out of gas,” said a note found in his car.
Kelleher, of Huntington Beach, Calif., appeared to have been walking Zabriskie Point – an elevation where people often watch sunrises and sunsets – toward Furnace Creek, which has an oasis area and gas station. He was found about 2.5 miles from where his vehicle was parked at the point.
Though he was just around 30 feet from California Highway 190, Kelleher’s body was obscured by a mesquite tree and terrain.
More than two weeks before the body was found, on May 30, a park ranger had cited him for off-road driving near Dantes Road. At that time, Kelleher had mentioned being low on gas. Six days before Kelleher’s body was found, a park ranger noticed that there was just one vehicle in the Zabriskie Point parking lot.
A records search showed that it was Kelleher’s. By June 11, it was still the only car in the lot.
Around that time, a heat wave also hit the valley, which is known to be the hottest place on Earth and driest place in North America. Temperatures rose to 123 degrees Fahrenheit.
Although a records search did not indicate that Kelleher had been reported missing, a search was conducted near the Golden Canyon and Badlands Trails. However, the extreme heat limited aerial search abilities.
Earlier this month, another man – 69-year-old John McCarry of Long Beach, Calif. – was found dead in Death Valley National Park near Panamint Valley. Additionally, park rangers have been searching for Peter Harootunian, whose vehicle was noticed abandoned in Emigrant Campground, since May 23.
Park rangers urge visitors with vehicle trouble to wait with their vehicle for help rather than trying to walk for assistance.
“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,” said the NPS.
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