NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Wednesday, March 9, 1994

Broadcast: By 0900 ET

INCIDENTS

94-109 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Pursuit into Park

Just after midnight on February 17th, police from Brooklyn, Illinois, began
pursuit of a vehicle whose driver had committed a traffic violation and
subsequently assaulted a police officer.  Officers shot out the right rear
tire of the vehicle as it fled from the initial stop, but the driver
continued for another six miles and ended up driving across park grounds
with approximately 15 units from two states and four departments in pursuit. 
The driver finally abandoned his disabled vehicle in the park, then fled on
foot across the grounds.  A Brooklyn police sergeant fired a warning shot
from a 12 gauge shotgun in an attempt to get the suspect to stop, which he
did.  The man, who has an extensive history of DUI arrests, assaults on
officers and other criminal activities, was arrested on numerous charges,
including three NPS violations.   Moderate damage was done to park grounds
and sidewalks by the vehicle's right rear wheel rim.  [Deryl Stone, CR,
JEFF, 3/4]

94-110 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Pursuit into Park

On the evening of February 24th, three individuals hijacked a car at
gunpoint in north St. Louis and led police on a seven- to ten-mile high
speed chase through the city.  The trio abandoned their car adjacent to park
grounds, then fled on foot into the park with a half dozen police vehicles
in pursuit.  One of the three jumped into the park's reflecting pond in an
attempt to elude capture, but officers followed him into the water and
arrested him.  His two companions were also captured.  The weapon reportedly
used in the carjacking was found in the vehicle.  No NPS charges were filed,
no shots were fired, and only minimal resource damage was done by the police
cars pursuing the subjects.  [Deryl Stone, CR, JEFF, 3/4]

94-111 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi/Alabama/Tennessee) - Oil Spill

Around noon on March 5th, rangers at the Natchez ranger station received an
anonymous call reporting that several thousand gallons of crude oil had been
spilled into Cole Creek upstream from the parkway and that the oil was
moving toward park waters.  The spill, which originated at a National
Gasoline Company well in the Natchez oil and gas field about 15 miles
upstream from the park, apparently occurred when crude oil overflowed from
two filled 220-barrel holding tanks at the well site.  An illegal drain pipe
through the containment dike surrounding the holding tanks allowed the oil
to discharge into the headwaters of an unnamed tributary to the south fork
of Cole Creek.  A preliminary estimate placed the amount of oil spilled at
about 200 barrels.  Prompt action by Ashland Oil Company, which has no
affiliation with the well involved in the spill, and American Environmental,
Inc., led to the containment of most of the oil upstream from park waters. 
Park personnel have been working with EPA, the Coast Guard, Mississippi DEQ
and other agencies in the spill response and clean-up, which should be
completed by mid-week.  Clean-up of about 20 miles of affected streams is
currently in progress using freshwater flushing.  Containment booms and
vacuum trucks are operating about eight miles upstream from the park.  A
biological survey will be conducted to assess damage to park aquatic
resource.  [Gordon Wissinger, CR, NATR, 4/7]

94-112 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi/Alabama/Tennessee) - MVA with Fatality

J.M., 27, of Starkville, Mississippi, was driving north on the
parkway around 10:30 p.m. on March 6th when his vehicle left the roadway and
struck a tree.  No skid marks were observed at the accident scene.  J.M.
was killed upon impact even though he was wearing a seatbelt and the airbag
on his 1993 Ford Probe deployed.  It appears that he may have fallen asleep
while driving.  [Gordon Wissinger, CR, NATR, 4/7]

94-113 - Fort Union Trading Post (North Dakota/Montana) - Flooding

Thawing temperatures led to backing of the waters of the Missouri and
Yellowstone rivers above their confluence on Saturday, March 5th.  The
picnic area, handicapped parking lot, and floodplain below the reconstructed
fur trading post and its maintenance and residential areas have been
inundated, but the park remains open.  Downriver farms have been evacuated
pending release of ice jams.  [Scott Eckberg, Historian, FOUS, 3/7]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Zion (Utah) - Peregrine Nesting Closures

The park has closed several cliff faces and formations to technical climbing
during peregrine falcon nesting season.  The closures give the birds maximum
opportunity to select nest sites.  Adjacent cliff faces will be reopened on
May 15th; areas with nest sites will remain closed to technical climbing
until July 31st.  [ZION]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Water Safety Grants - Bob McKeever, assistant chief ranger at Lake Mead,
is serving on a National Water Safety Congress committee that is working on
a Coast Guard grant to develop a comprehensive guide for multiple use
waterway management which will be geared toward helping managers to resolve
multiple use conflicts and to meet future needs.  The first step in the
development of this guide is to review studies that have already been
completed or plans that have already been implemented.  Examples:  The
visitor use survey in progress at Lake Mead, a Lake Mead beach management
plan with voluntary zoning of water activities, zoning on Yellowstone Lake,
and water use activities regulated by a special regulation or by the
superintendent's compendium.  He would like copies of such plans, studies or
regulations (including compendiums) from parks with recreation water
resources that can be used to assist the committee.  You can contact him
through cc:Mail or by phone (702-293-8908), or can mail copies to him at
Lake Mead NRA, 601 Nevada Highway, Boulder City, NV 89005.

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
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