Dispute over decision not to pursue rescue
By Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times
When his body was discovered, 34-year-old Andres Marin was still sitting on his light blue mountain bike, leaning against the side of a hill in the Cleveland National Forest.
He had his helmet on and his binoculars were around his neck; his hands were on the handlebars and his feet on the pedals.
“He was still trying, he was still fighting,” his wife, Christyna Arista, said. “He froze to death up there.”
On Tuesday, Arista, 33, said she’s not sure what happened to her husband during his birthday bike ride, but she was angry that the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department had suspended its rescue efforts.
Sheriff Lt. Zachary Hall said rescue efforts were suspended because of poor weather conditions, a decision mountain experts backed.
Sad story, but when will folks learn it is an unforgiving mountain environment and they have to be prepared for all conditions? Rescue seems to have made a judicious and prudent decision.
First thing to determine: Is the scene safe?
There is no good reason to add victims to an already tragic event.