RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:  Thursday, January 23, 1992

INCIDENTS

91-645 - Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - Follow-up on Threats Against Ranger

S.C. and T.B., who had pointed loaded rifles at ranger
Willam Tadych last November, pleaded guilty in state court to criminal
recklessness charges and were fined an unspecified amount plus court costs. 
The court also ordered the destruction of the two .22 caliber rifles, scopes
and ammunition which had been seized in the incident.  In addition, each man
paid a federal citation for possession of a firearm in the park.  The U.S.
attorney was contacted but declined to prosecute the pair for assault on a
federal officer.  The men contended that they did not know who Tadych was
and were only using the scopes on the rifles to identify him.  Because of
this, the U.S. attorney did not feel that he could prove intent to harm. 
[Joni Jones, INDU, via telefax from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO, 1/21]

92-15 - Badlands (South Dakota) - MVA with Fatality; Search

At last twilight on the evening of January 20th, M.H., mid-30's,
of nearby Scenic, South Dakota, drove his pickup truck the wrong way
on the road into the park, crashed through the east half of the unoccupied
Pinnacles entrance station, and ended up on the front lawn of the nearby
ranger station/residence.  The passenger in M.H.'s truck, 43-year-old
J.L. of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, was killed in the accident. 
Ranger Dearborn, who lived in the house, responded immediately and found
M.H. walking around the vehicle in a highly agitated state.  While
Dearborn telephone for assistance, M.H. fled the scene, thereby
precipitating a 40-hour search and investigative effort which involved about
45 persons from nine agencies.  Two air-scent dog teams, trackers, a large
number of local horse riders, and helicopter and vehicle-born searchers
looked for clues in a 30-square-mile search area.  When they failed to find
M.H., the search was expanded to a second 30-mile-square zone. 
Although M.H. deliberately evaded searchers, he eventually walked out
on his own and was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained
in the accident.  Vehicle speed and alcohol are believed to have been
factors in the accident.  M.H. has two prior DUI convictions and was
operating the truck under a revoked license.  He will probably face felony
charges once he is released from the hospital.  The entrance station
suffered about $20,000 in damages.  This is the second entrance station
which has been lost in the past couple of years due to a motor vehicle
accident.  Parks should consider evaluating the adequacy of the lighting,
signing, barriers and other protection provided for their entrance stations. 
[CompuServe message from Bruce Bessken, BADL, 1/22; telefax from Jim Reilly,
RAD/RMRO, 1/22]

92-16 - Olympic (Washington) - Search in Progress

S.B., 22, and a friend hiked from four miles from the Soleduck
trailhead into the Seven Lakes Basin on the 20th.  They split up at Deer
Lake at mid-day.  S.B. decided to hike out via the Hoh River trail, a
total distance of about 23 miles; his companion chose to return to the
Soleduck trailhead, where he picked up their car and drove to the Hoh
trailhead to await S.B.'s arrival later that day.  S.B.'s companion
waited for him throughout that day and early the next day, then notified
rangers of his failure to appear.  A search was begun employing a total of
50 personnel, including park rangers and rescue team members from Olympic
Mountain Rescue, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, and Clallam County Rescue.  Five
search dogs and air searchers were also employed.  Four rangers remained at
Deer Lake through Tuesday night, and the full search was to resume yesterday
morning.  Up to a foot of snow has fallen in the area since the two began
their hike on Monday, thereby complicating search efforts.  S.B. was
wearing light clothing and hiking boots and carried only small amounts of
food and water.  [SEAdog messages from Cat Hoffman, OLYM, and Mark Forbes,
RAD/PNRO, 1/21]

92-17 - Olympic (Washington) - Assist on Search

On the afternoon of January 16th, ranger Bob Lineback overheard a mayday
message from a person stuck in a four-wheel-drive vehicle on a snow-covered
cliff at the 6,000-foot elevation of an unidentified mountain, but was
unable to get a better location.  Dispatch put out an announcement to all
persons in vehicles with CB radios to turn to channel 9.  Radio techs Daryl
Keeney and Craig Houghtaling, who were on Ellis Mountain, heard the calls
and talked to the distressed party.  After several conversations, they were
able to determine that the person was near Big Bear, California.  Dispatch
contacted one of the person's relatives in a nearby California town via a
phone number which he supplied, and help was dispatched.  [Kym Ulin, OLYM,
via SEAdog message from Mark Forbes, RAD/PNRO, 1/20]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Erskine and Gale at meeting of steering
committee for MAC group course, Marana, AZ (1/21-1/24); Broyles at wildland
fire qualifications task committee meeting, Phoenix, AZ (1/23-1/25); Clark
at InciNet meeting, New Orleans, LA (1/20-1/24).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5572/5573 or 202-208-5572/5573

Telefax:    Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977

CompuServe: Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO

SEAdog:     Branch of R&VP - 1/650
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - 1/655