A 65-year-old man was found dead inside his vehicle Monday due to the extreme heat at Death Valley National Park in California, officials said.
A National Park Service maintenance worker noticed the vehicle about 30 yards off road from a highway at about 10 a.m. local time. When the worker walked towards the vehicle, the employee found the man unresponsive, park officials said in a news release Wednesday.
An initial investigation suggested heat-related illness may have caused the driver to run off the road. The man, who is from the San Diego, California, area, was declared deceased at the scene, park officials said.
“The sedan’s tracks ran along the road shoulder and rocky berm before veering further away from the paved road,” park officials said in the news release. “The vehicle did not crash.”
Death Valley temperature
Death Valley is known for having the “highest air temperature on the planet,” according to science.org. The Furnace Creek area reached a sweltering 134.1 degrees Fahrenheit on July 10, 1913, which is a record for highest air temperature.
On Sunday, the high temperature was 126 degrees. The overnight low temperature was 98 degrees, park officials said.
What is the hottest place on Earth?:This is the valley with the highest temperatures.
Big Bend National Park:Teen dies hiking in Texas heat at Big Bend park; stepdad killed in car crash while seeking help
Air conditioning was not operational, park officials say
Park officials said the vehicle was not stuck, but had two flat tires. The vehicle’s air conditioning was not operational, park officials said.
“The driver’s window was found down, further indication that the air conditioning was not functioning when the man was driving,” park officials said in the release.
NPS rangers, the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office and the Inyo County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene.
Contributing: Olivia Munson, USA TODAY