ST. GEORGE — A man died Christmas Day while hiking in Padre Canyon due to a possible medical episode.
Just after noon, the Washington County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team was alerted to a medical situation in the canyon involving a 75-year-old Ivins man, Sheriff’s Sgt. Darrell Cashin said.
Padre Canyon is where the Tuacahn Center for the Arts is located. It also sits next to Snow Canyon.
The man, along with a hiking companion, was moving along the saddle between Tuacahn and Snow Canyon, down into Padre Canyon and were about a mile-and-a-half up the trail when the man began to have a seizure, Cashin said.
The woman who was hiking with him – a sister of a neighbor, Cashin said – had to move around the area to secure good phone reception so she could call 911. Once the call was made, she went back to the man who’s face had turned blue and she began to administer CPR.
Santa Clara-Ivins Fire and Rescue and members of the county search and rescue team responded to the scene and hiked in to reach the man. Once at his location they continued CPR, but eventually pronounced him dead, Cashin said.
The man’s body was carried out by the search and rescue team. The Utah Medical Examiner will be investigating the cause of death. Washington County Sheriff detectives will also be investigating the matter and contacting family members.
The man’s name has not released by authorities.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.