LOGAN, Ohio -- Significant safety changes are coming to a popular state park following an exclusive WKYC Channel 3 investigation into the tragic death of a Stark County teenager.
Last month, Zach Doherty,18, of Uniontown slipped and fell 100 feet to his death while hiking at Cantwell Cliffs within Hocking Hills State Park. It marked the fourth fatality at the park in the last two years.
Now, authorities at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will erect cable fencing throughout the park along the trails.
"Zach was the perfect combination of super smart and a huge heart," his dad, Shawn Doherty, said fighting back the tears. "He was kind of genius-level smart, but he would help people. He never flaunted it."
Zach was a 2014 graduate of Lake High School in Uniontown and was enrolled at the University of Akron for the fall semester.
At a recent football game, Zach, a former band member, was remembered prior to kickoff. His former classmates spelled out his name across the field just before the start of the national anthem.
"Zach was so full of life, and you always looked forward to see him. He was a gentleman in every respect," said the public address announcer. "Our hearts still break, and we miss our friend dearly."
On Aug. 2, Zach and his girlfriend decided to visit Hocking Hills before they headed to different colleges.
They arrived at Cantwell Cliffs and started hiking along the picturesque trails.
Park officials tell Channel 3 News that Zach was off the designated trail, with no barriers or warning signs, demonstrating a physics experiment to his girlfriend. He somehow lost his footing, slipped and fell to his death.
"There was nothing to keep him from coming to the edge of the cliff," his mom, Pam Doherty, explained. "It's hard because your child is part of you, and he still lived at home. He's everywhere but nowhere."
"We are still investigating. It is certainly a sad situation," said public information officer Eileen Corson of ODNR. "We are constantly evaluating our parks for safety upgrades. There's a balance of preserving the natural scenery that our visitors expect and also incorporate the proper signage that's needed."
The Channel 3 Investigative Unit met the Dohertys at Hocking Hills for a firsthand look at the hazardous trails. They're accusing park personnel of failing to post warning signs and not having sufficient markings along the route where their son was killed.
"I hate this park. I think it should be closed. It's unsafe," Pam said. "I think people's lives are more important than the view and the beauty of the park."
Channel 3 cameras found no signs along the trail path that indicated proper directions or dangerous conditions. Yellow markings on trees help guide hikers in the right direction.
Since their son's sudden death, The Dohertys were calling for barriers or fencing to be constructed along the trails and especially in the area where Zach lost his life.
"We'd like to see some kind of physical barrier that you can still look out and see the rustic beauty. That's why people come here, but they don't have to fall off a cliff," Shawn Doherty said.
A week ago, ODNR told Channel 3 News that a barrier would create potential danger.
"Fences or barriers tempt more people to lean over and go beyond what lies beyond the barrier," Corson explained. "The trails are engineered to keep you in a safe place to view the wonderful vistas."
But ODNR changed its mind less than a week later and decided safety improvements are needed after all. ODNR announced that cable fencing would be installed along dangerous trails throughout the park.
In an email to Channel 3, Corson said:
At the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) the safety of the people that visit any Ohio state park is of paramount importance.
We have been updating our trail signage throughout the state parks system to remind hikers that the safest way to experience the state's natural beauty is from the designated trail.
Increased safety efforts have been highly focused in the cliffs, caves and waterfalls of the Hocking Hills State Park as it continues to be Ohio's most visited park property. Each trailhead has a large sign installed that reads, "Danger Stay on Trail." There are approximately 25 additional "Danger, Keep Out" signs that have been posted at various locations throughout the Hocking Hills properties. About 1100 feet of cable fencing, 1500 feet of split rail fence and 80 feet of rock wall edging has been put in place to help define trails. We have increased trail patrol and numerous off-trail citations and warnings have been written. Future plans are in place to install an additional 2500 feet of barriers this year.
Whenever an accident occurs in an Ohio State Park, we consider what changes could be made to prevent a similar incident in the future. We are continuing that process now in the Cantwell Cliffs area of Hocking Hills State Park. We plan to install cable fencing along parts of the cliff edge to further remind people to stay on the trail. The additional confidence markers I mentioned will be added this autumn to help hikers more easily identify the marked trail.
The Dohertys say it's too little and too late.
"The state park should have done more than it did after the first accident, and our son should be here," Pam said. "I don't want to see someone else's mother or father to get the knock at the door and their child be gone."
Follow The Investigator Tom Meyer on Twitter:@TomMeyerWKYC
