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Death Valley's scorching heat kills second man this summer

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Death Valley's scorching heat kills second man this summer
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News

Death Valley's scorching heat kills second man this summer

2024-08-14 07:46 Last Updated At:07:50

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California's Death Valley National Park has claimed another life in its second heat-related death of the summer, park officials said Monday.

On Aug. 1, a day where temperatures reached nearly 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.3 degrees Celsius), bystanders saw a man stumble back from the Natural Bridge Trailhead, a one-mile roundtrip trail, according to a news release.

The man, identified as 57-year-old Peter Hayes Robino of Duarte, California, declined their help. Witnesses said his responses did not make sense. He returned to his car and drove off a 20-foot embankment at the edge of the parking lot, the news release said.

Bystanders helped Robino walk back to the parking lot and find shade while one of the called 911. National Park Service emergency responders received the call at 3:50 p.m. and arrived 20 minutes later, the news release said.

According to the bystanders, Robino was breathing until right before responders arrived. They conducted CPR and moved him into the air-conditioned ambulance.

Robino was declared dead at 4:42 p.m., and an autopsy found he died of hyperthermia, or overheating. Symptoms can include confusion, irritability and a lack of coordination, the news release said.

In July, a motorcyclist died while traveling with a group through the desert on a day with a record high daily temperature of 128 degrees F (53.3 degrees C). Another member of the group was hospitalized, and four others were treated on site. Later that month, a European tourist got third-degree burns on his feet from briefly walking barefoot on the sand.

At the valley’s salt flats in Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, the park has a large red stop sign that warns visitors of the dangers of extreme heat to their bodies after 10 a.m. Additionally, emergency medical helicopters cannot generally fly safely over 120 F (48.8 C), officials say.

Park rangers warn summer travelers to not hike at all in the valley after 10 a.m. and to stay within a 10-minute walk of an air-conditioned vehicle. Rangers recommend drinking plenty of water, eating salty snacks and wearing a hat and sunscreen.

This image provided by the National Park Service shows a car owned by Peter Hayes Robino of Duarte, who drove off a 20-foot embankment at the edge of the parking lot at Death Valley National Park, on Aug. 1, 2024, and died of hyperthermia, or overheating. (National Park Service via AP)

This image provided by the National Park Service shows a car owned by Peter Hayes Robino of Duarte, who drove off a 20-foot embankment at the edge of the parking lot at Death Valley National Park, on Aug. 1, 2024, and died of hyperthermia, or overheating. (National Park Service via AP)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah captain Clayton Keller went to the locker room a minute into the second period against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night after a puck struck him the face.

A shot from teammate Michael Kesselring got deflected high and the puck struck Keller. He immediately ripped off his helmet, skated off the ice, and headed straight to the locker room.

Keller eventually returned to the ice with 4:40 left in the second with swelling and a cut above his eye. He assisted on Utah's first goal of the game 40 seconds later and added an empty-netter late in the 5-2 win over the Jets.

“I got lucky,” said Keller, who sported a dozen stitches and a bruised eyelid following the game. “It didn’t catch my eye. It was so fast, you don’t feel much. But I tried to look through my eye and I knew I could, so I wasn’t really too worried after that.”

His quick return and toughness shifted momentum in Utah’s favor and led to a second straight home victory to cap a seven-game homestand.

“Coming back without hesitation, without a doubt in his head -- that was great,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said.

Keller has 10 goals and 20 assists over his last 22 games. He had a goal and three assists in Utah’s 4-2 win over St. Louis on Saturday, matching his NHL career high with four points. Keller leads the expansion club in points (50) and assists (34) this season.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) moves the puck against the Winnipeg Jets during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) moves the puck against the Winnipeg Jets during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

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