- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Friday, December 11, 1992
- Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Friday, December 11, 1992
Release: 0800 EDT
INCIDENTS
92-382 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Follow-up on Assault
On December 8th, E.C.M. pled guilty in U.S. District Court to a
series of charges - two counts of robbery, one count of being armed while
committing a crime of violence, one count of sexual abuse, and one count of
illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon - stemming from an
incident which occurred in the park last summer. Just before 2 a.m. on July
25th, E.C.M. and an accomplice stole cash and jewelry at gunpoint from a
couple who had been walking near the north leg of the arch. The pair then
attempted to sexually assault the female, but were interrupted by ranger
Scott Carrigan. Carrigan and other on-duty rangers pursued and arrested the
two men. On scene investigation conducted by the rangers resulted in the
identification of the suspects by the victims and the recovery of two loaded
.38 caliber handguns from the park's north reflecting pool, where they'd
been discarded during the foot chase. Shortly after their arrest, E.C.M.'s
accomplice committed suicide by hanging himself with his socks in the city
holding facility. E.C.M. will be sentenced on March 5th. [John Weddle, CI,
JNEM, 12/8]
92-632 - Knife River (North Dakota) - Follow-up on Employee Injury
There was a typo in the address provided yesterday for those wanting to send
contributions to the family of Ken Woody, who was seriously injured in an
auto accident on December 2nd. The abbreviation for the state given in the
address should have been ND, not NC. If you'd like to send a contribution
to help the family out, you should send a check payable to L.W. to
Betty Boyko, Acting Superintendent, Knife River Indian Villages NHS, PO Box
9, Stanton, ND 58571. Questions should be directed to Brian Reilly in RMRO
at 303-969-2640. [Brian Reilly, RAD/RMRO, 12/7]
92-638 - Delaware Water Gap (Pennsylvania/New Jersey) - Illegal Hunting
On December 7th, the opening day of the New Jersey deer season, hunting
pressure was unusually heavy in the park's New Jersey District, with over
5,300 hunters in the field. Protection activities in the district, where
hunting is permitted, included plain clothes and bear poaching surveillance
operations, maintenance of check points, decoy operations, and uniformed
patrols. During the day, seven illegal kills occurred, three guns were
seized, scores of citations were issued for violations, a juvenile hunter
who fell out of a tree stand was medevaced to a trauma center, and a great
horned owl was rescued. There were no reported hunter accidents involving
firearms. Tomorrow is the last day of the six-day season. [Doyle Nelson,
CR, DEWA, 12/11]
92-639 - Cuyahoga Valley (Ohio) - Poaching
During the six-day Ohio deer season, which began on November 30th and
concluded on December 5th, rangers conducted special hunting patrols
throughout the park. Twelve hunters were contacted and charged with various
CFR violations. A total of 18 citations were issued, and a dozen weapons -
eleven shotguns and a .357 caliber handgun - were seized. One hunter was
cited for spotlighting from a vehicle while in possession of a firearm, and
two unarmed hunters were tagged for driving deer from park lands, where
hunting is illegal, to five other hunters who were waiting on adjacent
private property. Deer decoys were used and electronic remote sensing units
were employed to monitor three stands and deer blinds located on park
property. Most hunters were caught, however, by extra foot patrols put on
for the week. A special agent from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
assisted rangers and monitored the park's efforts. Prior to the opening of
the gun season, three hunters were charged with hunting in the park and two
shotguns and a compound bow were seized. Evidence indicated that at least
nine deer were shot within the park's boundaries during this period. Six
were recovered. [Matt Bland, CUVA, 12/10]
92-640 - Lake Meredith (Texas) - Hunting Season Activities
The park's 16-day-long general deer hunting season concluded on December
6th. During that period, hunters took 49 mule deer and 53 white-tailed
deer. Another three white-tailed deer were taken during the earlier archery
season. This is the second consecutive year in which more than 100 deer
have been taken. Rangers also assisted state game wardens on two hunting
trespass cases in which hunters trespassed from the park well into adjacent
private ranch lands to kill deer. [Larry Neilson, CR, LAMR, 12/8]
92-641 - Pictured Rocks (Michigan) - Snowmobiling Fatality
On December 5th, the park assisted the Alger County sheriff's department in
an investigation of a snowmobile accident in the park's inland buffer zone
which resulted in the death of S.R., 22, of Port Washington,
Wisconsin. S.R. struck a tree after leaving the roadway on a curve at a
high rate of speed. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital in
Munising. Snowmobiling continues to grow as a winter activity in the upper
Midwest, and injuries and deaths are increasing as well. Last year, there
were seven snowmobile-related fatalities on Michigan's Upper Peninsula;
speed and alcohol were implicated in several of them. Only two deaths have
occurred so far this year, but the season has just begun. Rangers are
working closely with other area law enforcement officers to curtail both
high speed and use of alcohol by snowmobilers visiting the area. [Greg
Bruff, IS, PIRO, 12/9]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
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 at BLM regional FMO meeting (12/9-12/11);
Norum instructing RX590 (11/30-12/11); Gale with work group
developing all-risk emergency handbook (12/7-12/11).
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
cc:Mail Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation