NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:           All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:         Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:     Saturday, August 10, 2002

*** NOTICE ***

Because of the tragic events of the past 24 hours reported below,
Director Mainella has authorized the lowering of all flags to half-staff
at parks and NPS offices across the nation until further notice.
Uniformed employees are authorized to wear black bands on their badges;
non- uniformed employees may wear black mourning devices similar to
those worn after September 11th. Look for additional updates on these
two tragedies in updates throughout the weekend and into next week.

INCIDENTS

02-370 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Ranger Shot and Killed

Ranger Kris Eggle, 27, was fatally wounded along the United States
border with Mexico within the park yesterday afternoon.  Mexican police
called the U.S. Border Patrol around 2 p.m. to report that a gray SUV
occupied by two armed suspects had fled across the border from Mexico
into the United States at a location approximately three miles east of
the Port of Lukeville. Officers in a Border Patrol helicopter in the
area saw two people abandon the SUV within sight of the border and run
into nearby vegetation. The officers in the helicopter directed Eggle
and three Border Patrol agents on the ground to the two men. One of
them, a Mexican national, was arrested.  As the second man was
approached in a wash area, Eggle was ambushed, shot and fatally wounded.
Officers at the scene returned fire and the second man, also a Mexican
national, was fatally wounded. It is unclear at this time whether
Mexican or U.S. officers shot the suspect. Organ Pipe rangers Jon Young
and Bo Stone provided life support for the suspect and Eggle until an
ambulance from Ajo, Arizona, arrived and began transport. A life flight
helicopter was dispatched from Tucson, but Eggle was pronounced dead
when it arrived. Investigations are underway by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, National Park Service, and Pima County Sheriff's
Department. Eggle had several years of experience working for the
National Park Service and was a recent recipient of the Director's Award
at FLETC. Kris was an outstanding person and ranger and his murder
represents an incredible loss to his family, many friends and the
Service. Additional information will be provided through InsideNPS and
the Morning Report as it becomes available, including memorial service
information. [Bill Wellman, Superintendent/Dale Thompson, Chief Ranger,
ORPI]

02-371 - Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD) - Park Police Officer Killed

At 1:30 a.m. this morning, a driver heading west on Route 50 toward
Washington lost control of his vehicle, which left the road and rolled
over. He was ejected and the vehicle came to rest on top of him, then
burst into flames. The driver died in the accident. Park Police officers
responded, as the accident occurred at the intersection of Route 50 with
the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. A number of road closures were put
into effect, including one for the southbound ramp from the parkway to
Route 50. Cones and flares were put out, blocking the ramp. Just before
4 a.m., Jovada Welch, 20, of Silver Spring, entered the ramp and struck
a Park Police officer who was investigating the accident, the continued
on down the ramp until she was stopped by other Park Police officers and
arrested. A Maryland state police helicopter happened to be overhead at
the time this accident occurred; the pilot landed and an on-board
paramedic jumped out and reached the downed officer within seconds, but
the officer had already expired. His name has not yet been released (2
p.m. EDT, Saturday) because next of kin have not yet been reached. Welch
has been arrested on federal charges of driving under the influence and
involuntary manslaughter. Additional information will be provided
through InsideNPS and the Morning Report as it becomes available,
including memorial service information. [Scott Fear, PIO, USPP]

*  *  *  *  *

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

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