Death Valley National Park, located on the border of California and Nevada, is one of the most extreme environments on Earth. Known for its record-breaking temperatures, the park draws adventurers and nature enthusiasts from around the world. However, the same features that make Death Valley unique can also make it dangerous. From scorching heat to treacherous terrain, the park presents a host of challenges. This study explores the fatal incidents in Death Valley from 2007 to 2023 with data collected from the National Park Service website.
Between 2007 and 2024, 68 people have died at Death Valley National Park.
Between 2007 and 2023, 62 deaths occurred. This averages to about 4 deaths per year. The most deaths occurred in 2019 and 2022. In each of these years, 7 deaths occurred.
| Year |
Number of Deaths
|
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 4 |
Between 2007 and 2023, the most deaths occurred in the month of July. In total, 12 fatalities have occurred in July, the most common cause of them being hyperthermia. July is usually the hottest month in Death Valley, with daily averages of 116ºF, so an increase in heat-related illnesses and fatalities is not unusual.
| Month |
Number of Deaths
|
| January | 6 |
| February | 2 |
| March | 4 |
| April | 6 |
| May | 4 |
| June | 5 |
| July | 11 |
| August | 9 |
| September | 2 |
| October | 3 |
| November | 5 |
| December | 5 |
According to the National Park Service, the most common cause of death in Death Valley National Park between 2007 and 2023 was motor vehicle accidents. This accounts for about 25% of fatalities. The next most common cause of death was environmental, accounting for almost 20% of all fatalities. All of the recorded environmental fatalities were due to hyperthermia.
| Cause of Death |
Number of Deaths
|
| Motor Vehicle Crash | 16 |
| Environmental | 12 |
| Undetermined | 10 |
| Fall | 7 |
| Suicide | 6 |
| Medical – Not during physical activity | 4 |
| Medical – during physical activity | 3 |
| Homicide | 2 |
| Poisoning | 1 |
| Drowning | 1 |
From 2007 to 2023, males were more than 3 times more likely to die than females.
| Gender |
Number of Deaths
|
| Not Reported | 3 |
| Female | 14 |
| Male | 45 |
From 2007 to 2023, of the reported ages of fatalities, those over the age of 55 were most likely to die in Death Valley National Park. Following the overall trend, the most common determinable causes of death amongst those 55 and older was motor vehicle crashes and environmental.
| Age |
Number of Deaths
|
| 0-14 | 1 |
| 25-34 | 7 |
| 35-44 | 7 |
| 45-54 | 11 |
| 55-64 | 12 |
| 65+ | 12 |
Below is a list of incidents in 2024 pulled from the National Park Service’s news releases.
Date: May 19, 2024
Cause of Death: Medical – Not during physical activity
A 70-year-old man died after suffering a medical event while driving on Artist Drive. The man became unconscious while driving and his wife was able to safely stop the vehicle. There is no cell service in that area of the park, so the wife drove to Furnace Creek, where she called 911. Park rangers attempted CPR, but the man was eventually pronounced dead on scene by rangers.
Date: May 26, 2024
Cause of Death: Motor Vehicle Crash
Rigoberto “RJ” Avina died in a single-vehicle accident on CA-190. Avina was a park employee but the incident happened while off-duty. Avina had worked in the park’s maintenance division for almost 3 years.
Date: July 6, 2024
Cause of Death: Environmental
A motorcyclist from Germany died from heat exposure near Badwater Basin. 5 other motorcyclists from the same party were treated for heat illness. One of those motorcyclists was transported to Las Vegas for advanced medical care. The high temperature on that day was recorded as 128ºF (53.3ºC). This surpassed the daily record for Death Valley of 127ºF (52.8ºC) recorded in 2007.
Date: July 20, 2024
Cause of Death: Medical – Not during physical activity
Tony Balderrama, was found deceased in his home due to apparent medical reasons. Balderrama was the Operations Manager at Stovepipe Wells Village and had been a member of the Death Valley community for numerous years.
Date: July 20, 2024
Cause of Death: Suicide
A woman was found deceased in her vehicle near CA-178. The woman was from Pahrump, NV and appeared to have died by suicide.
Date: August 1, 2024
Cause of Death: Environmental
57-year-old Peter Hayes Robino died of hyperthermia after driving his car off a 20-foot embankment at the edge of a parking lot. Bystanders saw Robino stumble back after completing a 1-mile round trip hike at Natural Bridge Trailhead. He then proceeded to get into his car and drove off the embankment. Bystanders helped Robino walk back to the parking lot, where emergency responders arrived 20 minutes later. An autopsy the Inyo County Coroner found that Robino’s cause of death was hyperthermia.
Death Valley National Park, with its extreme conditions and challenging terrain, remains a popular yet perilous destination for visitors. The data from 2007 to 2023 highlights the risks associated with the park, including motor vehicle accidents and environmental dangers, which have claimed many lives. To learn more about wrongful death contact the Las Vegas injury attorneys at The Janda Law Firm.
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