What was supposed to be a short and easy hike ended in tragedy Thursday morning when a young man died after being stung more than 1,000 times by bees in an Arizona park.
Alex Bestler, 23, was walking along Merkle Memorial Trail in Usery Mountain park near Mesa just before 9 a.m. when he and a friend were suddenly attacked by thousands of bees.
“Without provocation or warning, a large swarm of bees descended on both of them as they continued on the trail,” the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
Bestler’s friend, identified in the release only as Sonya, was ahead of him on the trail. She was able to scramble to a restroom to escape the swarm.
Alex was not.
When Sonya alerted another hiker to the attack, the man went back to check on Alex only to find him at the center of a thick, dark cloud of insects.
“Alex was located lying on the ground still covered by bees and he was not able to approach due to the aggressiveness of the bees,” the release says.
When park employees arrived, they, too, were “forced back by the bees.”
As the swarm stung Alex over and over again, rescuers tried to reach him several times but couldn’t get close before they were driven away by the insects.
Finally, Allen Romer arrived to the park. The MCSO sergeant jumped on a park utility task vehicle, or UTV, and raced to Alex’s location.
“With the assistance of two Rural Metro Fire Fighters, Sgt. Romer was able to load Alex onto the UTV and remove him from the scene, still covered with bees, and a swarm pursuing,” according to the release. “Upon arrival at the emergency vehicles’ location, the bees had dissipated to the point of safety, that fire personnel began life saving measures.”
Alex was whisked to Desert Vista Hospital, but not in time. He died after arrival.
“An examination of the body conducted by medical staff and Sheriff’s detectives estimated over a thousand bee stings,” according to the MCSO press release. “The decedent was conveyed to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office and is pending autopsy.”
A statement posted to the park’s website at 9:44 a.m. Thursday said the area was closed due to “aggressive bee activity.”
“Due to aggressive bee activity, the following areas have been closed,” the post said, listing Merkle Trail, Vista Trail, bathrooms and the parking lot. “Please do NOT enter these areas. The park has called in the experts to locate the bees. Until we have determined it is safe for park visitor use, the areas will remain closed. In the meantime, we hope you will explore and enjoy one of the many other trails at Usery Mountain Regional Park. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Romer himself received multiple bee stings as well as cacti punctures, but returned to duty after treatment.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio praised his deputy for his heroics.
