Hikers in an area of the San Bernardino National Forest are being warned of falling rocks after one woman was injured, and another woman died after she was suspected to have been hit in the head by a large boulder.
The San Bernardino National Forest issued a safety alert for the Bonita Falls Trail. National Forest officials urge people to use extra caution as rockfalls “can happen without warning,” Naomi Gordon, spokesperson, said in an email to the USA TODAY Network.
In June, authorities received a call for an injured hiker, Lillian Rodriguez of Redlands, who is suspected to have been hit in the head by a large boulder, according to Gloria Orejel, spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Rodriguez, 52, died “despite lifesaving
measures,” and the San Bernardino Coroner listed the cause and manner of death as an accident after suffering blunt force trauma to the head. She was hiking near Bonita Falls, Orejel said in an email.
Authorities responded to Bonita Falls in a separate incident involving an injured hiker on July 23, according to Orejel. A woman was hiking when a rock rolled down the hill and struck her on the nose, Orejel said. She lost consciousness and was unable to complete the hike. The woman was transported to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries, Orejel said.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Officials warn of rockfalls after woman dies near SoCal hiking trail
