Date: July 7, 2017
Contact: Penny Wagner, 360-565-3005
PORT ANGELES, WA- On July 1, 2017 Olympic National Park dispatch received a report from a hiker of a deceased male on the coast near Norwegian Memorial within Olympic National Park. A hasty team comprised of protection rangers, backcountry rangers and fire personnel were sent in on foot to locate the body. The team located the body of William “Dave” Woodson, 60, of Kingston, Washington.
Woodson’s name is now released after notification of his family. “Our condolences go out to the Woodson family and friends in this time of sorrow,” said Acting Superintendent Lee Taylor.
Woodson had a backcountry permit showing a solo hike through the coastal area. Due to the terrain and isolated area the team stayed on scene overnight. A Northwest Helicopter was called in the following day for recovery. An autopsy is still pending for determination of cause of death.
On July 2 park dispatch received a visitor report of a possible trash dump off Obstruction Point Road in the Hurricane Ridge area of the park. Rangers utilized optics and found the reported trash dump to be the remains of a vehicle approximately 200 feet down the steep embankment. A hasty team of rangers rappelled down to the site and discovered the remains of a deceased female. Identification documents were found in the vehicle possibly matching a missing person out of Issaquah County, WA. The remains were recovered and identification of the deceased female is pending forensic analysis. The family of the missing person has been contacted for medical records.
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