NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, March 24, 1994

Broadcast: By 0900 ET

INCIDENTS

94-129 - Glen Canyon (Utah) - Felony Pursuit; Search; Arrests

On Tuesday, March 16th, rangers at Halls Crossing received a call advising
that a red Toyota Four Runner with two male and two female occupants had
driven off from a local gas station without paying for $17 worth of fuel. 
Rangers pursued, at one point closing to within a mile of the vehicle. 
Despite their best efforts, however, they were unable to get any closer. 
The suspects apparently did not know that they were being followed.  When it
became apparent that the pursuit would lead out of the park, county deputies
were notified and assistance was sought from rangers at Natural Bridges. 
Before the vehicle reached their roadblock, the occupants decided to turn
off onto a gravel road leading into a remote historical mining area.  Having
already passed the road, however, they turned around to drive a mile back;
they then discovered that rangers were pursuing them and took off cross
country in an effort to reach the dirt road.  They were again able to elude
their pursuers, and their dust cloud showed that they were getting further
away.  When the rangers rounded a particularly sharp corner, they found a
fresh set of tracks leading off the road and over a 300-foot cliff into the
canyon below.  Debris scattered along the fall line confirmed that the
vehicle had gone over the edge, although the Toyota couldn't be seen from
the top.  Pat Horning, the first ranger to reach the car, reported that
there were no occupants within, and ranger Steve Luckesen discovered
footprints leading uphill from the road, indicating that the occupants had
gotten out of the car before it went over the edge.  The park plane assisted
in the subsequent search for the foursome, which was conducted by rangers
(including ranger Jim Ireland from Natural Bridges), Utah Highway Patrol
officers, San Juan county deputies, a Utah wildlife officer and an FBI
agent.  Ranger Russ Miller tracked the four youths to their hiding spot
several hundred yards upslope.  Three were found to be juveniles; the fourth
was 19 years old.  They'd stolen the car from a dealership in Murray, Utah,
then had decided to take a camping trip into the desert.  The vehicle was a
total loss.  All suspects were taken into custody by Utah Highway Patrol
officers.  [Tomie Lee, CR, GLCA, 3/23]  

94-130 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Fire

Just before 8 p.m. on March 22nd, park dispatch received a 911 call
reporting smoke coming from a space heater in the women's lavatory located
in the Brown Building, one of the Fred Harvey dormitories.  A total of three
fire engines were dispatched to the scene.  Firefighters were able to keep
the fire confined to the space heater.  No other damage or injuries were
reported.  [GRCA, 3/22]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

MEMORANDA

"Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Overflights", sent today to all
ten regional directors.  Contains text of the joint DOT/DOI ANPRM advanced
notice, which was signed on March 14th and published in the Federal Register
on March 17th.  The ANPRM seeks public comment on general policy and
specific recommendations for voluntary and regulatory actions to address the
effects of aircraft overflights on national parks.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

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