Man Dies After Falling 80 Feet Into Canyon
An 18-year-old man who was talking with friends in the Bell Canyon area near West Hills died early Saturday when he lost his footing and plunged 80 feet to the canyon floor, authorities said.
The accident occurred about 4 a.m. when Loftee Reid of Panorama City, who was with seven men and two women, lost his footing near a cave and fell, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Dean Scoville.
Reid was still alive when his friends reached him and one of them administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
By the time paramedics hiked a mile to the site, Reid had died, Scoville said.
An autopsy will determine whether alcohol played a factor in the death, Scoville said.
The area where the accident occurred is a favorite spot for hikers and drinkers who ignore the unsafe terrain, authorities said.
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