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Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, November 14, 2000
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Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 08:34:54 -0500
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2000
ALMANAC
On this date in 1493, members of Christopher Columbus's second
expedition to the New World landed on St. Croix Island in the Virgin
Islands and battled a small group of natives. Salt River Bay National
Historical Park and Ecological Preserve includes the landing site, the
only place under U.S. jurisdiction where Columbus's men are known to
have set foot.
INCIDENTS
00-693 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Death of Employee's Son
A son born to park employees L.R. and D.R. on August 14th
passed away from congenital heart problems on October 30th. Services
have been held in Louisiana. Cards may be sent to L.R. and D.R.
A charitable donations account has been established to assist the family
with medical and funeral expenses. Donations may be sent to D.R., Charitable
Account, c/o Bank One, PO Box 459, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. [Kimberly
Smeltzer, Dispatch, GRCA, 11/10]
00-694 - Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - Armed Robbery; Arrest
The Silver State Bank in Boulder City was robbed of $1,000 in cash by
an armed man at 2:40 p.m. on the afternoon of November 8th. The robber
escaped in a brown Mazda RS-7 and was last seen heading toward Hoover
Dam and the park. A description was broadcast to all officers and
rangers in the area just after 3 p.m. Ranger Robert Moelder reported
that he'd seen the man about 30 minutes before at the Hacienda Hotel
and Casino, a private inholding within the park. He relocated the
Mazda at 3:11 p.m. in the Hacienda's parking lot. Moelder was joined
by rangers Bill Sherman and Tom Valenta and special agent Mike
Blandford. They watched the hotel while Boulder City officers walked
through the building in an effort to flush the robber. At 3:50 p.m.,
Moelder saw the man leave the hotel on the west side, circle around
the hotel toward the east side, cross Highway 93, and appear to make a
phone call at a gas station. As he was leaving the gas station, he
spotted Sherman's unmarked vehicle and began to run from him. Rangers
and officers responded. The man jumped a fence and ran down an
embankment directly in the path of Valenta's patrol car. Valenta
braked but hit the man, who fell, then got up and continued running.
Valenta got out of his cruiser, drew his weapon, and ordered the man
to stop. Blandford at the same time pulled his vehicle into the man's
path. The man stopped and surrendered. District ranger Steve Drolet
assisted in the capture. Most of the stolen money has been recovered,
but the gun has not yet been found. The man had evidently called in a
bomb threat to Boulder City Hall, then robbed the bank when all the
city's police units were at that location. Boulder City police and FBI
agents are continuing the investigation. [Dale Antonich, CR, LAME,
11/9]
00-695 - Independence NHP (PA) - Armed Robbery
Five visitors were robbed at gunpoint while listening to a recorded
interpretive program at the Liberty Bell Pavilion just after 8 p.m. on
November 7th. There were five robbers, one of whom brandished a
handgun. The visitors were told to give up their wallets and cash and
to walk in the direction of Independence Hall across the street and
not look back. The robbers then fled on foot. A search of the area was
conducted by rangers and Philadelphia police officers but no sign of
them was found. The items stolen included about $500 in cash, credit
cards and other items. Rangers and city police are investigating.
[CRO, INDE, 11/13]
00-696 - National Capital Parks (DC) - Armed Robbery Arrest
On Monday, October 30th, S.C., who was wanted by Park Police
for an armed robbery, turned himself in at USPP headquarters. A
warrant had been issued for S.C.'s arrest for an armed robbery that
had occurred in Dupont Circle Park in which he cut the victim's face
with a razor. Local media coverage and concern by citizens and members
of S.C.'s family led him to turn himself in. His photo was also
displayed on the Park Police web site. [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR,
11/13]
00-697 - Statue of Liberty NM (NY) - Illegal Demonstration; Arrests
On November 5th, Park Police officers saw a man traversing the
exterior of the statue's crown with climbing gear. They found that a
group of six people had entered the crown, broken one of the windows,
and blocked access to the area. They were chanting, distributing
leaflets and providing physical support to the climber. The six inside
the crown were immediately arrested, and a dialogue was begun with the
man hanging outside the crown. The island was meanwhile closed. The
man hung flags from Puerto Rico and Vieques from the crown as part of
a protest of the Navy's use of the latter island for training. Another
five protestors were located while the island was being closed; they
were detained for investigation but later released. The man on the
crown surrendered to officers after three hours. The six inside the
crown were charged with disobeying a lawful order, illegal
demonstration, and distribution of printed matter, then released. The
man who traversed the statue was charged with criminal trespass and
reckless endangerment and released on a $50,000 bond. The U.S.
attorney is considering additional charges. [Lt. John Marigliano,
GATE, 11/9]
00-698 - Gateway NRA (NJ/NY) - Attempted Assault on Officer
USPP officer Jakim Eaddy saw a 1988 Chevrolet being driven recklessly
in Riis Park at 2:20 a.m. on November 5th and attempted to stop it. A
pursuit ensued that ended up at a dead end in Breezy Point. As Eaddy
was getting out of his cruiser, the driver of the other vehicle - D.P.,
43 - put her car in reverse and attempted to hit him. Eaddy
was able to evade her, and the pursuit resumed. D.P. narrowly missed
hitting an NYPD cruiser head-on. She bailed out of her vehicle about
five blocks away and fled into a residential area. Despite an
extensive search by Park Police and NYPD officers, assisted by a
helicopter, D.P. could not be found. A search of the vehicle led to
the recovery of small amounts of cocaine and marijuana. Investigators
determined that D.P. was on probation. Detectives contacted D.P.
and her attorney and arranged for her to surrender on November 9th.
She was charged with numerous counts by the Queens County DA,
including reckless endangerment and burglary. [Lt. John Marigliano,
GATE, 11/9]
00-699 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (NJ/PA) - Accidental Shooting
G.S., 35, of Oak Ridge, New Jersey, was injured by shotgun
pellets on the morning of November 11th while hunting in the park on
the opening day of pheasant season in New Jersey. He was hit on the
top of his right hand, in the corner of his right eye, and in his
right temple. G.S.'s father took him to a local hospital for
treatment. Although the wounds were deep, G.S. suffered no serious
injuries. G.S. and his father were hunting in standing corn
(permissible in New Jersey) at the time of the incident. Two other
hunters were also in the area. A bird went up and one of the other
hunters shot at it from about 30 or 40 yards away, hitting G.S.. The
hunters were close enough to see each other. G.S.'s father yelled to
them that his son had been injured, but neither of the other two
hunters came to their aid. The investigation continues. [Brad Clawson,
Acting DR, New Jersey District, DEWA, 11/13]
00-700 - Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Rescue
USPP officers were notified of an injured person on the jetty at
Breezy Point just after 8 p.m. on November 8th. G.L., 39, had been
fishing from the jetty when he slipped and fell, breaking his left
leg. Officer Daniel McFadden was first on scene at the jetty, which
was extremely slippery and being struck by waves. Due to the
conditions, G.L. was airlifted from the jetty by an NYPD helicopter and
taken to a nearby beach, where he was transferred to a waiting
ambulance. McFadden suffered a minor injury to his foot during the
rescue. [Lt. John Marigliano, GATE, 11/9]
00-701 - Zion NP (UT) - Concessioner Drug Arrests; Firings
On October 31st, ranger Brad Miederhoff attempted to contact several
people in a concession dorm room about drug use. At least two were
able to escape before he gained access to the room, but evidence found
there aroused his suspicions about drug activity and distribution.
District ranger Brent McGinn and a canine officer followed up the next
day, interviewing suspects and utilizing the dog to find evidence.
Marijuana, LSD and methamphetamine were recovered along with
paraphernalia and distribution materials. Two people were arrested on
felony drug distribution charges and two more for possession.
Information obtained revealed a serious methamphetamine problem among
concession staff. On November 2nd, rangers conducted drug testing for
16 employees at the request of AMFAC management. Fifteen were fired
after failing or refusing the tests. Rangers will meet with concession
management to outline a plan for recruitment, hiring and testing of
employees to prevent similar situations in the future. [Brent McGinn,
DR, ZION, 11/6]
00-702 - Death Valley NP (CA) - MVA with Multiple Injuries
Rangers responded to a two-vehicle, head-on collision on November 9th.
Six people were critically injured in the accident - two were trapped
in their vehicle. The nearest non-NPS medical and fire units were 90
miles away. The four victims who were not trapped were treated and
prepared for evacuation by rangers. The remaining two victims were
extracted with the help of a "Jaws of Life" and flown to Las Vegas,
150 miles from the accident site. The other four were transported
half-way to Las Vegas by park ambulances, then passed off to other
ambulances. The park's Engine I was able to respond within two minutes
rather than the usual 20 to 40 minutes because of an experimental
arrangement in which a subject-to-furlough rangers is stationed at the
firehouse to maintain equipment, conduct fire safety inspections, and
respond quickly to fires during his regular hours. [CR, DEVA, 11/8]
00-703 - Joshua Tree NP (CA) - MVA with Fatality
On the morning of November 8th, the park was notified of a serious
accident in Cottonwood Canyon about two miles south of the Cottonwood
VC. Interpretive ranger David Smith advised park dispatch and
responded. When he arrived, Smith found the vehicle fully engulfed in
flames. He was unable to reach the unresponsive driver due to the
intensity of the fire. Rangers, CHP officers, and CDF structural
firefighters arrived soon after. The vehicle was completely destroyed
and had to be identified by VIN markings on the frame. The driver has
not yet been identified, nor has the cause of the accident been
determined. CHP officers and rangers are investigating jointly. Ranger
John Evans is the case ranger for the park. [Patrick Suddath, DR,
JOTR, 11/13]
00-704 - Santa Monica Mountains NRA (CA) - Suicide
Park dispatch advised ranger Ho Truong that Malibu SAR had found a
body on or near NPS property on the afternoon of November 1st. State
rangers and county deputies were already on scene; Truong and ranger
James Richardson joined them. The body was found in an isolated
location near an electrical tower west of the Corral Canyon parking
lot and north of Backbone Trail. A silver Buick Regal had been parked
in the lot for several days. Earlier that day, a missing persons
report was filed on the car's owner. The report said that the owner
had left his home five days before and that family and friends had not
seen him since. He was reportedly under a lot of personal stress, had
some minor family problems, and was not working. The SAR team was
called in and found the body. Suicide has been confirmed. The
investigation is continuing. [Jon Dick, SAMO, 11/1]
[Additional reports pending....]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Fire Plan
No new information. Please check the NPS Fire Management Program
Center web page (www.fire.nps.gov) for further information on fire
plan projects.
Park Fires
Shenandoah NP (VA) - The Shenandoah Complex (24,197 acres) was 95%
contained as of Sunday evening. A total of 227 firefighters and
overhead were still reported as committed to the fire. Higher
humidity, cooler temperatures, and rain were in the forecast.
CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Gulf Islands NS (MS/FL) - Whale Stranding
On the morning of November 5th, an approximately 20-foot-long male
sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) was found stranded in the surf at
Langdon Beach. Several biologists and veterinarians in the marine
mammal stranding network were notified. The whale was kept upright in
the surf and wetted down by volunteers from the network, members of
the public, and park employees. Efforts were directed at keeping the
whale in the deepest water possible at that small section of the
beach, where the water is only two to three feet deep. The tide was
also on the way out, making this a difficult task. The Coast Guard
arrived later in the afternoon and kept a 40-foot vessel and a sling
on standby for a possible removal effort. Because of the low tide, a
rescue would have entailed crossing a 30-foot-wide sandbar covered by
only a foot of water. Veterinarians, park biologist and National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) staff determined that the animal's
poor health precluded such an operation. NMFS personnel believed that
the whale might have been the same one that they'd rescued after
stranding itself ten days earlier near Clearwater, Florida. The
decision was accordingly made to euthanize the animal. Veterinarian
administered the necessary drugs and the whale died. The head will be
examined by researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. A
necropsy was performed the following day on the body, but no immediate
cause for the whale's poor health could be found. [Mark Nicholas,
Biologist, GUIS]
INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES
No submissions.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No submissions.
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
INTERCHANGE
No submissions.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Submissions pending.
* * * * *
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address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your
servicing hub coordinator. The Morning Report is also available on
the web at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the
cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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