Cal Poly student dies in hiking accident over summer

Electrical engineering junior Kevin Trevor Rodriguez fell to his death at Sequoia National Park on Tuesday, Aug. 10, officials from the National Park Service (NPS) said.

Rodriguez, 19, was hiking near Tokopah Falls when the accident occurred in the late afternoon, officials said. Rodriguez fell more than 50 feet down to the base of a canyon and suffered severe head injuries, ultimately landing in what officials described as a small pool below the rocks.

According to the press release, park authorities and paramedics at the scene attempted CPR on the 19-year-old for about one hour before pronouncing him dead at 4:00 p.m.

NPS officials said Rodriguez was not alone when he slipped to his death. Authorities think Rodriguez was hiking down a steep drop when he accidentally slipped.  In a press release from the NPS, officials speculate Rodriguez and his hiking companions chose to take an easier route.

“While less steep, the rocks they chose to descend were made slippery by water passing over them during high water,” the release said.

The passing of Rodriguez, a Malibu resident and former Malibu High School student, prompted the initiation of a 447-member strong Facebook group, titled “In Loving Memory of Kevin Rodriguez, R.I.P.” Rodriguez’s sister, Diana, started the group.

Many members of the group shared reactions to the news of Rodriguez’s death on the group’s Facebook wall.

“Kevin was always such a nice person,” one member wrote. “I didn’t know him well, but he made going to Malibu High a lot easier for me as an incoming Freshman some six years ago. I’ll always remember you as the caring, smart person who accepted everyone for who they were and always had something nice to say.”

Editor’s note: We’ll soon have more information on Rodriguez’s death. Check back to mustangdaily.net and twitter.com/mustangdaily next week for the full story.