Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jun 19

Judith and Wylie Sheldon Found Dead in Running Car on I-5 as Heat Hit 109 Degrees

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jun 19

Judith and Wylie Sheldon Found Dead in Running Car on I-5 as Heat Hit 109 Degrees

Q: Patrons found dead in a running car. Was it the 109° heat or another tragedy on the highway?

There is no confirmed answer yet: authorities have not released an official cause of death, and investigators say the deaths appear to be medically related, with no sign of foul play. What is known is that Judith and Wylie Sheldon, 84 and 86, were found Monday evening in their running Jeep Compass on the shoulder of Interstate 5 north of Redding after they failed to arrive in Ashland, Oregon. The California Highway Patrol said officers and medical personnel tried to help, but both were pronounced dead at the scene. The 109-degree heat is a serious factor under review. Redding was under an extreme heat warning, and CHP officials have said excessive heat may have played a role, pending autopsy and medical examination. In older adults, extreme heat can quickly trigger dehydration, heat stroke, cardiac stress, or worsen existing medical conditions. Even with a vehicle running, a roadside stop in such conditions can become dangerous if air conditioning failed, the vehicle malfunctioned, or one or both occupants suffered a sudden medical event. At this stage, the evidence supports caution rather than certainty. Investigators have not indicated a crash, violence, or another obvious highway-related tragedy. The strongest public indication so far is that this was likely a medical emergency, possibly compounded by the near-record heat, but the final determination depends on the coroner’s findings.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 19

California Highway Patrol found Judith Sheldon, 84, and Wylie Sheldon, 86, dead at 5:46 p.m. Monday inside their running Jeep Compass parked along Interstate 5 north of Redding.
109-degree heat blanketed the area under an extreme heat warning as the San Francisco couple drove toward Ashland, Oregon, for their annual Shakespeare festival trip with friends.
Four of the six diners reached their 6:30 p.m. reservation in Ashland, but the Sheldons never arrived, did not answer repeated calls and had not checked into their hotel.
Judith Sheldon chaired the San Francisco Silent Film Festival board and was the daughter of three-time Oscar-winning director William Wyler; Wylie Sheldon was a prominent lawyer.