One fatality in dunes over weekend

A Yuma man died in an accident in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area over Presidents Day weekend that saw crowds of over 100,000 people, Bureau of Land Management officials said.

Bradley Jason Earhart, 26, of Yuma, died Saturday in a dune buggy accident at about 2 a.m. said Neil Hamada, BLM dunes manager El Centro.

According to Stephen Razo, BLM spokesman, Earhart drove the vehicle at high speeds over the edge of a dune in Glamis and dropped about 60 feet to the ground.

"He was just too fast for conditions and went over the top," Razo said.

Earhart was conscious when emergency medical technicians arrived but died at the scene after failed attempts to revive him using cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Razo said.

Mercy Air was en route, but Earhart was transported by ground to the Imperial County Coroner, Razo said.

This year's attendance in the dunes was "actually pretty low" compared to the same holiday weekend from the last year, Hamada said.

"Over all visitation for the whole season is down about 10 percent," Hamada said.

At least 100 calls for medical services were made during the weekend, Hamada said.

"It has been a busy weekend with (medical calls), but again the most serious has been the fatality," Razo said.

No illegal incidents or activity occurred at the Oldsmobile Hill this weekend as it has in past years during Presidents Day weekend, which required the area to be closed off, Hamada said.

"Visitation was high but we didn't have to close it because there wasn't the amount of illegal activity that occurred in the past. So that's good," Hamada said, adding more people seem to be complying with the laws.

He credits the improvement to enhanced law enforcement efforts as well as safety education efforts.

----

Juana M. Gyek can be reached at jgyek@yumasun.com or 539-6872.