RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Friday, August 20, 1993

Broadcast: By 0900 EDT

INCIDENTS

93-566 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Follow-up on Homicide

Late on the afternoon of Friday, August 13th, the federal district court
issued a search warrant to obtain blood, hair and saliva samples from the
primary suspect in the August 5th homicide of A.K. in the Arch parking
garage.  The warrant was served by NPS, FBI and St.Louis PD investigators. 
The suspect is currently incarcerated on several counts of armed robbery
occurring in the city's jurisdiction.  All samples are en route to the FBI's
forensic laboratory for comparison with clothing discarded by the murderer
as he fled the scene.  Investigators hope to match DNA from hair or skin
cells on the clothing with the suspect.  Although the investigation is
currently centering on this suspect, the task force is still developing
leads in the hope of identifying the lone male which the surviving witness
saw standing outside the garage entrance at the time of the homicide. 
[Deryl Stone, CR, JEFF, 8/18]

93-599 - Crater Lake (Oregon) - Follow-up on Serious Injury

On the evening of August 13th, B.L., 30, of Dundee, Scotland, who
had been hit by a rock on the Cleetwood trail the previous day, died of her
injuries at a hospital in Medford, Oregon.  She never regained
consciousness.  [George Buckingham, CR, CRLA, 8/18]

93-616 - Gateway (New York/New Jersey) - Homicide

On the afternoon of August 15th, a park visitor was walking his dog along a
remote section in the east end of Plum Beach when he observed a human hand
protruding from the sand.  New York City Police and U.S. Park Police units
responded, along with the New York City medical examiner.  The body of a
male victim was removed from underneath a sand dune.  The victim's hands
were bound with electrical tape, and there was a gag across his mouth.  An
inspection by the medical examiner revealed two stab wounds to the victim's
neck.  No identification was found on him.  The estimated time of death was
between 24 and 48 hours prior to the discovery of the body.  The case is
being investigated jointly by the U.S. Park Police and New York City Police
detectives.  [Lt. Michael Fellner, USPP, GATE, 8/16]

93-617 - Denali (Alaska) - Aircraft Accident

On August 17th, a FirePro helicopter on contract from Tundra Copters of
Fairbanks, Alaska, lost power and made a hard forced landing in the park. 
No injuries were reported, but the helicopter was sufficiently damaged to be
unflyable.  A second park helicopter evacuated the pilot, E.K., and
passengers J.R. (Denali), L.H. (Denali) and A.J.L. (Alaska
Regional Office).  The helicopter was on a cabin inventory/archeology
mission at the time of the accident.  [Steve Holder, RAD/ARO, 8/17]

93-618 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Homicide

B.B., 38, of Laughlin, Nevada, and M.B., 40, of Bullhead
City, Nevada, went water skiing near Katherine's Landing on July 6th.  When
M.B. returned the boat to its owner later that day, he was alone. 
M.B. told the boat's owner that he'd killed "the little surfer dude",
then left the area.  B.B.'s body surfaced near the water intake barge at
Katherine's Landing on July 14th.  An investigation into the incident is
underway.  [Dispatch, LAME, 8/17]

93-619 - Mount Rushmore (South Dakota) - Special Event

The influx of bikers coming into the area to attend the annual Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally (formerly known as the Black Hills Motorcycle Classic) had
a significant impact on traffic and operations in the park last week.  The
approximately 29,000 bikers who visited the park between Sunday, August 8th,
and the following Friday pushed the average daily visitation to 26,000. 
Members of 16 different outlaw gangs wearing "colors" were identified. 
Rangers were extremely busy with traffic control, crowd control and visitor
assists, but there were no serious rally-associated incidents.  Official
estimates are that at least 150,000 bikers attended the rally, which is held
about 50 miles northeast of the park.  The event officially ended on August
15th.  Other nearby national park areas affected by the rally included
Badlands, Devils Tower, Jewel Cave and Wind Cave. [Mike Pflaum, MORU, 8/13]

93-620 - Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Search and Rescue

On the night of Friday, August 13th, rangers conducted a successful search
in the Lewis Lake campground area for a 15-month-old child who'd walked away
from his tent.  The child's parents discovered him missing around 10:15 p.m. 
Due to a number of natural hazards in the area and the age of the child, an
intensive and rapidly escalating search effort was initiated which
eventually put 59 searchers in the field.  The toddler was located in good
condition over 175 yards from his tent around 2:50 a.m. the following
morning.  [CRO, YELL, 8/18]

93-621 - Yellowstone (Wyoming) - MVA with Fatality 

A motor vehicle accident with one fatality and three injuries occurred on
the Grand Loop Road near Arnica Creek in the West Thumb area around 3:30
p.m. on August 18th.  A northbound motorcycle being driven by a 48-year-old
male from Melvern, Kansas, struck or was struck head-on by a southbound
vehicle with three occupants.  The operator of the motorcycle, who was
reportedly wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene after
unsuccessful resuscitation efforts by NPS emergency response personnel.  The
three occupants of the car - a middle-aged couple and their 19-year-old
daughter, all from King City, California - were taken by ambulance to Lake
Hospital; they were in stable condition at the time of the report.  The
cause of the accident is under investigation.  [CRO, YELL, 8/18]

93-622 - Cape Lookout (North Carolina) - Drug Conviction

On July 27th, J.V. II plead guilty in federal court to possessing a
controlled substance (marijuana) and illegally entering a closed bird
nesting area.  He was fined a total of $1,200.  As part of the plea
agreement, charges of interfering with an agency function which arose from
J.V.'s attempt to destroy evidence were dropped.  A noteworthy aspect of
the incident was the successful prosecution of the case by special Marine
Corps assistant U.S. attorneys from nearby Camp Lejeune, who continue to
provide assistance to the park.  [Felix Revello, CALO, 8/19]

93-623 - Blue Ridge (North Carolina/Virginia) - Drug Arrest

R.D.W. of Vinton, Virginia, was arrested on August 13th for
possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.  The incident began when
a ranger contacted West regarding an alcohol violation, and eventually lead
to the discovery that R.D.W. was in possession of marijuana and over $1,500 in
cash.  Bond was set at $20,000.  R.D.W. was still in jail at the time of the
report.  [Larry Freeman, BLRI, 8/16]

93-624 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Drowning

On August 15th, M.G.-A., 27, of Las Vegas, Nevada, jumped from
his boat in Las Vegas Bay Harbor and began swimming around.  He eventually
became fatigued and sank beneath the lake's surface.  Park rangers responded
and recovered his body, which was transported by helicopter to a local
hospital.  [Dispatch, LAME, 8/17] 

FIRE ACTIVITY

Preparedness Level I.  The preparedness level has dropped from PL II to PL
I, which is issued when there is no large fire activity nationally, when
most geographic areas have low to moderate fire danger, and when there is
little or no commitment of national resources.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: Brady on travel (8/16-8/20).

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin at Aufhauser shooting
review and on AL (8/10-8/22); Dickerhoof on AL (8/12-8/22); Halainen on AL
(8/15-8/27).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Botti at operations evaluation at Grand Canyon
(8/9-8/20); Berg in meeting at Glacier (8/16-8/20); Clark on oil spills and
quals system review (8/16-8/19); Farrel at wildland/urban fire initiative
meeting (8/16-8/20).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: Branch of R&VP - 202-208-4874
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5572
Telefax:   Branch of R&VP - 202-208-6756
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5977
cc:Mail:   Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation
SkyPager:  Emergencies ONLY (numeric message) - 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843 
SkyTalk:   Emergencies ONLY (voice message) - 1-800-759-8255, PIN 2404843