Hot Weather Claims a Life

The Pennington County Authorities report that one person has lost their life and another is rushed to the hospital.

On Wednesday, July 20th, 2022, two young males from Missouri were hiking in the Badlands National Park in southwest, South Dakota. The two men were following a trail on a hiking app and ran out of water in the high heat.

Photo Credit: Pennington County Sheriff's Office

Maxwell Right, 22 years old from St. Louis, Missouri, dead from dehydration and exposure to the high rate. The other man, 21 years old from Missouri was air flited to Monument Health. He is being observed for exposure and dehydration due to the hot temperatures into the 90s and 100s and the lack of water.

Emergency crews on the scene were Pennington County Sheriff's Office, Badlands National Park Law Enforcement, Life Flight, Wall Ambulance, Rapid City Ambulance, and Interior Volunteer Fire Department.