Hiker Who Died on Cowles Mountain Identified by Authorities

SAN DIEGO, CA — A man who died Sunday morning while hiking Cowles Mountain in Mission Trails Regional Park near Santee has been identified by authorities.

The deceased, Andrew Seth Lewis, 64, of San Diego, collapsed backward while ascending the top of the Cowles Mountain Summit, witnesses reported, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

Bystanders attempted to revive the hiker while 911 was called just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

A rescue helicopter lowered a paramedic to the trail at 8 a.m. The paramedic took over life-saving efforts from someone else on the trail who had already begun CPR, according to Lee Swanson of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

But Lewis could not be revived. He was pronounced deceased at 8:19 a.m., authorities said.

According to Swanson, firefighters brought his body down the mountain to the Barker Way trail head in San Carlos to awaiting personnel with the medical examiner's office.

— City News Service contributed to this report.

Image via Martha Jimenez, Flickr, used under Creative Commons