French visitor dies after vehicle stalls in Death Valley’s extreme heat

While driving through a secluded stretch of Death Valley National Park, French visitor Pierre Michel Formosa, 68, and his companion became immobilized after their car sank in mud. Facing temperatures that reached 116 degrees, the pair walked toward the nearest road in hopes of finding aid. Formosa was unable to proceed after covering just over a mile, and his companion eventually encountered a motorist who reported the incident to park staff.

National Park Service rangers, together with local and state responders, initiated a search and found Formosa, who was declared dead on site. Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds expressed condolences and warned that the park’s heat and isolation can quickly become hazardous. The Inyo County coroner will determine the official cause and manner of death.