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A California man was found dead in Death Valley National Park after his car ran out of gas. Park officials said that a ranger found the man's car in a parking lot near Zabriskie Point with a note saying it was out of gas on the morning of June 8.
Three days later, the ranger noticed the car was still in the parking lot and launched an investigation. They discovered that the car was registered to 67-year-old David Kelleher. A search of records showed that he was stopped by a ranger on May 30 and cited for off-road driving.
While Kelleher had not been reported missing, officials launched an aerial and ground search near the Golden Canyon and Badlands Trails. The search had to be limited due to the extreme heat, which topped 123 degrees.
On Tuesday, park visitors found Kelleher's body about 30 feet from California Highway 190 and 2.5 miles from where he left his car.
Officials urged park visitors to stay safe during the summer months when the average high temperatures range between 110 and 116 degrees. They said that if you become stranded, you should stay with your vehicle and stay out of the heat.
"The National Park Service encourages park visitors to stay safe in the summer by not hiking at low elevations after 10 am, staying within a short walk of air conditioning, drinking plenty of water, and eating salty snacks," officials said in a statement.