NPS Morning Report - Thursday, March 21, 2002



                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, March 21, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-065 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - Drag Racing

On March 16th, rangers from the Ridge District began a surveillance
operation in the James River area after having received information on drag
racing at that location. Shortly after midnight, several vehicles arrived
at the designated area and proceeded to drag race across the James River
bridge. The rangers left their observation posts, stopped the vehicles, and
detained and identified drivers, passengers, and spectators. A total of ten
vehicles and twenty people were involved. The event was well organized,
with designated flaggers and lookouts. Inspection of the vehicles showed
that several were outfitted with nitrous oxide systems. Several of the
drivers attempted to flee when the rangers identified themselves. Rangers
Gene Parker and Zeph Cunningham were almost struck by cars as they
attempted to stop them. Several charges are pending under both federal and
state laws; the latter include forfeiture of vehicles used in drag racing.
Federal charges may include assault on a federal officer. The assistant
U.S. attorney will decide on whether or not to pursue seizure of vehicles
as the case develops. This case will aid several local agencies in their
attempts to deal with similar races that are occurring in their
jurisdictions. Virginia State Police and the Amherst County Sheriff's
Office assisted in the incident. Ranger Kathryn Brett is the lead
investigator for the case. [John Garrison, Protection Specialist, BLRI,
3/21]

02-066 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - EMS Response; Life Saved

Telecommunications equipment operator Duke Barr received a call from a
Veterans Administration officer on March 16th, requesting address
information on a male patient who had left the VA hospital in Asheville
without being discharged (the VA is a cooperating agency with the NPS). The
patient had recently undergone surgery, and had left the hospital with a
catheter still attached to his carotid artery, putting him in a
life-threatening situation. The name and address information that Barr
obtained from the DCI terminal showed only a rural route number for the
patient's address in Hendersonville. Barr called the Henderson County 911
center, which was unable to provide a physical address, then called the
Edneyville FD to see if anyone there could help. People at the fire
department recognized the name, knew the address, and responded. They found
the man with the catheter still inserted into his neck. He was stabilized
and transported to the local emergency room for treatment, then returned to
the VA hospital for follow-up care. [John Garrison, Protection Specialist,
BLRI, 3/21]

02-067 - Lyndon B. Johnson NHP (TX) - MVA with Fatality

On the afternoon of March 18th, B.S., 76, of Durant, Oklahoma, died in
an accident in the visitor center parking lot. B.S. had parked his vehicle
and trailer in the RV parking lot and was apparently unloading an electric
cart from the passenger side of his Chevrolet Suburban when the vehicle
began to roll downhill. B.S. ran around the truck and got into the driver's
seat to apply the brakes, but failed to stop the vehicle. According to a
witness, B.S. fell from the Suburban, then was struck by both the truck and
trailer. B.S. was declared dead at the scene. When the vehicle was moved by
the wrecker, it was discovered that the transmission's parking gear was
stripped. Johnson City Police Department is investigating the accident.
[Brian Carey, CR, LYJO, 3/21]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Alumni - Retired superintendent Joe Kastellic passed away unexpectedly of
natural causes on February 25th. Joe graduated from Ohio University in 1956
with a degree in geology, served in the U. S. Army, then attended the
University of Missouri graduate school before going to work as oil field
geologist in Wyoming. In 1961, he began working for the NPS at Petrified
Forest, where he met and married Barbara Downing. They soon moved to Glen
Canyon, where Joe and Barbara were the first permanent rangers at Rainbow
Bridge, living on a floating barge in the canyon. Shortly after their
daughter was born, they were transferred to Lee's Ferry, and later to
Everglades.  In 1973, Joe accepted the position as the first superintendent
of Black Canyon (previously managed under or with other parks), retiring
after 12 years there and 25 with the National Park Service. Joe and Barbara
continued residing in Montrose, Colorado, until his passing, where he
remained active with the Kiwanis and the San Juan Model Railroad Club. In
addition to Barbara, Joe leaves behind daughter Kimberly and son Roy, their
spouses and four grandchildren, sister Nancy, and many devoted friends with
lots of good stories, some of which were shared at services on February
28th. Memorial contributions may be made to The Juvenile Diabetes
Foundation, In Memory of Joe Kastellic, c/o Crippin Funeral Home, 802 East
Main, Montrose CO 81401. Condolences may be sent to Barbara at 1692
Wetterhorn,   Montrose CO  81401. [Nancy Zaenger]

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation
and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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