Peter Hayes Robino, a resident of Los Angeles County, died of heat exposure following a one-mile hike and a subsequent car crash in Death Valley National Park on August 1, marking the second heat-related death of the summer in the park. Robino returned from a one-mile hike on the park’s Natural Bridge Trail, and was visibly distressed and stumbling, according to reports from the scene. He got in his car at the trailhead and drove it off a steep 20-foot drop where the car rolled over and the airbags deployed.
Bystanders acted quickly in attempts to rescue Robino, with one group heading out to find cell signal to call 911, while another group helped Robino out of the car and up to the parking lot where they found him shade.
According to the NPS report, emergency responders received the 911 call at 3:50 p.m., and took 20 minutes to arrive on the scene. National Park emergency medical administered CPR and moved Robino into an air-conditioned ambulance. The people who had helped move Robino said he was breathing until just minutes before park rangers arrived. After 32 minutes of attempts at bringing Robino back, at 4:42 PM he was declared dead.
Symptoms of hyperthermia seem to line up with the eyewitness remarks from before Robino’s crash. He was seen stumbling in the parking lot, and when asked if he needed help, he shrugged them off with responses that “did not make sense.”
“My condolences go out to Mr. Robino’s family and friends,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds, who was one of the EMTs that responded to this incident. “His death serves as a reminder not to underestimate the dangers of extreme heat.”
During these waves of extreme summer heat, NPS recommends not hiking in the park after 10 a.m., drinking plenty of water, and eating salty snacks. Even a short hike in 120 degree weather can seriously affect your cognitive ability. If you, or anyone in your group, are feeling confused, irritable, and lack coordination, drink a reasonable amount of water and get to air conditioning and rest as quickly as possible.
