North Bay Man ID'd: Fell To Death In Grand Canyon

SONOMA COUNTY, CA – The 67-year-old man, who fell 400 feet to his death from the South Rim in Grand Canyon National Park last week, has been identifed as Michael Obritsch of Santa Rosa, according to Grand Canyon National Park spokesman John Quinley.

After a report on April 3 at 11:30 a.m. of someone falling over the canyon rim east of Yavapai Geology Museum, responding rangers found the man's body approximately 400 feet below the rim. The park's helicopter and technical rescue team recovered his body, officials said.

Yavapai Geology Museum is located on the South Rim in Grand Canyon Village.

Obritsch was a graduate from Piner High School in Santa Rosa, and had a degree in mathematics from the University of California, Davis, according to his obituary.

He was a longtime computer analyst at PacBell in San Ramon before moving back about 15 years ago to Santa Rosa and working part time for Johnson Pool and Spa, the obit said.

"His warm, friendly personality, intelligence, dedication, kindness and his sense of fun will be greatly missed," the online post stated, adding that a celebration of his life will occur later this month, and memorial donations may be made to the Sonoma County Humane Society.

The National Park Service and Coconino Medical Examiner investigated the death, park officials said.

Obritsch's death marked the third tourist fatality in eight days at the Grand Canyon, according to news reports. Two others died March 26 and March 28.

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