SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO — An 81-year-old man who told his wife he was going to walk at trails near his Rancho Bernardo retirement community Wednesday morning was found dead a few hours later near Lake Hodges, officials said.
The man had left the Casa De Las Campanas retirement community to go for a walk around 10:30 a.m., his wife told police. When she returned to their home in the afternoon, he had not returned. She called 911 around 1:30 p.m. after seeing that his cellphone was showing his location near Lake Hodges, said San Diego police spokesperson Scott Lockwood.
A San Diego County sheriff’s helicopter was deployed to assist police with the search, and around 2:35 p.m. a body was spotted near a trail in the Lake Hodges Recreation Area, officials said.
Police officers found the man and performed R on him until they were relieved by paramedics, Lockwood said.
“The elderly man was located on a trail, unresponsive, and we responded with an open-space rescue,” said San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jose Ysea. “He was pronounced deceased on scene by medics.”
Firefighters used a helicopter to remove the body from the trail, Ysea said.
The name of the man was not released. The cause of death will be determined by the county Medical Examiner’s Office, Ysea said.
A short time later, firefighters responded to a call about a stricken hiker in the Rancho Peñasquitos Preserve.
Shortly before 3:30 p.m., an 18-year-old man hiking with a friend collapsed after showing signs of dehydration, and the friend called 911, Ysea said.
“He had collapsed, he had fainted. He was dizzy and was showing signs of dehydration as well,” Ysea said.
Firefighters used a helicopter to take the teen to a parking lot and then transported him to a hospital. His condition was not known.
The two cases, coming on a hot summer day, prompted officials to remind people to take precautions while walking or hiking in the heat.
“Hike with a friend. Hike with a reliable cellphone so that you can reach out for help and we can use it to pinpoint your GPS,” Ysea said. “If you go out, go out in the morning or in the evening — try to plan your summer walk, your summer hike when it is not as hot.”
He said hikers also are reminded to wear sunscreen and a hat, and to bring enough water — a quart of water for every hour they plan to hike.
