VENTURA, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say the death of a Southern California firefighter during a camping trip was an accident.
The Ventura County Star (http://bit.ly/1mGzaV6 ) says Monday’s autopsy concludes that 36-year-old Mike Herdman died of blunt force injuries.
Herdman was camping with a fellow Arcadia firefighter in Los Padres National Forest northwest of Los Angeles when he vanished on June 13. Herdman’s dog ran off and he was last seen chasing after it — barefoot and wearing only shorts and a T-shirt.
An air and ground search ended last Friday when Herdman’s body was found on the side of a steep canyon. He was less than a mile from his campsite but more than 1,000 feet higher up.
His dog had been located earlier.
