Death Valley's scorching heat kills second man this summer

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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.

Florida' Clayton delivers again to outduel Auburn's Broome in Final Four matchup of All-Americans

2025-04-06 09:09 Last Updated At：09:12

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Two All-Americans, one chance to get their team a chance to win a national championship.

And more magic from Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. will carry the Gators to their title shot.

Clayton scored 34 points to outduel Auburn's Johni Broome as the Gators beat the Tigers 79-73 on Saturday night at the Final Four.

And while it wasn't a direct matchup between small and ultra-quick Clayton and the beefy Broome, those two have been the heartbeat of their teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Clayton was virtually unstoppable again, as he scored at least 30 points for the second consecutive game, slicing through the Tigers defense for layups or popping 3-pointers even with defenders in his face.

“The guys trust me to take those shots and sometimes they fall," Clayton said.

Clayton was 11 of 18 from the field, making 5 of 8 3-point attempts. He made all seven free throws.

As the final seconds ticked down, Clayton even chased a loose ball to tip it back to ensure the clock would run out on the victory. When he started to walk back on the court, teammate Alijah Martin was standing watching him with a smile before they hugged with win in hand.

“He has done it all year for us, in big moments,” Florida coach Todd Golden said.

Broome, started well with 12 points in the first half as he used his size and strength to muscle over defenders under the basket.

But while he had insisted that a right elbow injured in the South Region final win over Michigan State was pain-free, he appeared to favor it at times and often looked uncomfortable.

He also looked frustrated by late turnovers and missed free throws as the game started slipping away. Broome scored just three points on just four shots in the second half and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds.

Broome frustration showed late when he lowered his shoulder into Florida's Alex Condon and was called for a foul. He was later denied a dunk, and then missed two free throws with 2:02 to play that would have cut the Gators' lead to 71-70.

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