Two found dead along Blue Ridge Parkway within hours of each other, officials say
The National Park Service reported two deaths on the Blue Ridge Parkway within hours of each other.
The first call came at about 3 a.m. Sunday, when rangers “received a report of a person in distress,” the park service said in a news release. Officials spotted two passengers inside a car that was parked near mile marker 63 and the James River Visitor Center in Monroe, Virginia.
The driver — identified as 55-year-old Kevin Cox of Lynchburg, Virginia — died at the scene, likely after experiencing a medical emergency, officials said.
Later on Sunday, rangers were dispatched at about 1:30 p.m. to a reported motorcycle wreck.
The rider — identified as 22-year-old Matthew Gauck of Pilot, Virginia — was pronounced dead after a single-vehicle crash along the parkway, officials said. It happened near mile marker 162, which is close to Gauck’s hometown and Rakes Mill Pond, according to the Virtual Blue Ridge website.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that Gauck was traveling at a high rate of speed which is believed to be a primary cause for the crash,” officials said in a news release.
The Blue Ridge Parkway runs for 469 miles through the mountainous terrain of Virginia and North Carolina. While visiting the area, drivers are urged to be cautious of changing speed limits, steep grades and off-road distractions, the National Park Service said in 2019.
The parkway recorded more than 14 million visits last year, making it the most-visited National Park Service site.
This story was originally published May 24, 2021 at 12:13 PM with the headline "Two found dead along Blue Ridge Parkway within hours of each other, officials say."
