- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, April 14, 1992
- Date: Tues, 14 Apr 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Tuesday, April 14, 1992
INCIDENTS
92-116 - Big Bend (Texas) - MVA with Fatality
On the afternoon of April 12th, a van carrying 15 students from the Keystone
School in San Antonio left the road near Panther Junction and overturned.
One student, C.R., 13, was killed. Two others were flown to a
hospital in Odessa, were they are reported to be in stable condition, and
another eight were treated at the Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine
and released. The van, which was driven by R.R., the boy's mother,
was one of two vans containing about 30 students who had come to the park on
a field trip. [UPI news report, 4/13]
92-117 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Emotionally Disturbed Subject
Around 6 p.m. on March 19th, D.M., Jr., 27, called park dispatch
from the South Rim Visitor Center; he said that he was a fugitive from
justice and that he wanted to surrender. Rangers Don Miller, Kathy Korte-Drake
and Ken Phillips investigated, found D.M. in possession of stolen
credit cards, and arrested him. During a consent search of his campsite,
the rangers found a loaded, sawed-off Mossberg pump shotgun; a loaded,
shortened .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle; a large amount of ammunition;
and numerous edged weapons. During several subsequent interviews, D.M.
said that his original plan had been to commit suicide by initiating a
shoot-out with park rangers, and added that getting into a fatal gun battle
with law enforcement was "something he always wanted to do." D.M. had a
large jacket and slings on the long guns which would have allowed them to
have been concealed. On March 23rd, D.M. appeared in magistrate's court
and pled guilty to charges of possession of illegal firearms, loaded
firearms and stolen property. A computer check showed no previous criminal
history. A teletype query on D.M. was transmitted nationwide; the sole
response was from a police department in New York. [Steve Bone, GRCA, via
CompuServe message from RAD/WRO, 4/13]
92-118 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Aggravated Assault
Rangers Brian Smith, Keith Lober and Kathy Korte-Drake responded to a report
of a man threatening another man with an edged weapon in the concession
employee dormitory on the evening of April 4th. Although the 46-year-old
suspect fled the scene before the rangers arrived, he returned while they
were investigating the incident and was placed under arrest. Further
investigation revealed that the man, a former concession employee, had a
significant criminal history, including bank robbery, robbery, felony theft,
and felony assault and battery. He was taken to the Coconino County jail
and booked on charges of aggravated assault. [Steve Bone, GRCA, via
CompuServe message from RAD/WRO, 4/13]
92-119 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - MVA with Fatality
Park dispatch received a 911 call just before midnight on March 19th
reporting a serious accident just south of the park boundary on Highway 64.
Rangers arriving on scene found that a single-vehicle accident had occurred
in which the car's 39-year-old driver had been ejected. He had suffered
severe head and chest injuries and was in full cardiac arrest. They
provided advanced life support until the patient arrived at the park clinic,
where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Investigation showed
that the victim had been driving his Geo Storm at about 100 miles per hour
when he hit a deer. The car nearly disintegrated on impact. Alcohol is
believed to have been a factor in the crash. [Steve Bone, GRCA, via
CompuServe message from RAD/WRO, 4/13]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Reminder: We are interested in field reports on resource management
activities meeting any of the following criteria, which were formulated
jointly with the Wildlife and Vegetation Division:
* The completion of notable resource management projects or the attainment
of significant benchmarks in such projects.
* New threatened and endangered species listings, significant changes in
status to listed species, or new threats to listed species.
* Any significant lawsuit pertaining to park natural or cultural resources.
* Any newly discovered threat to park natural or cultural resources.
* Reintroduction of a species to a park.
* Any resource management action affecting park natural or cultural
resources which is inherently controversial.
Reports may be submitted by telefax (FTS 268-6756), by CompuServe
(WASO-RANGER) or by SEAdog (1/650).
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Brady at Operation Alliance program review, El Paso, TX
(4/13-4/15).
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin at OPM law enforcement pay
meeting, Washington, DC (4/13); Sisto at regulations conference, St. Louis,
MO, and on AL (4/13-4/20); Halainen on AL (4/17).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Gale at fire review, Shenandoah, VA, and New
River Gorge, WV (4/13-4/19); Farrel attending ICAPS meeting and briefing
Directorate on structural fire program status, Washington, DC (4/13-4/16);
Bristol at InciNet hardware committee meeting, Eugene, OR (4/15-4/17).
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