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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT BLACKBERRY EDITION Tuesday, February 28, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Yellowstone NP Fatal Snowmobiling Accident A woman from Idaho was killed and her husband injured in a snowmobile accident on the morning of Sunday, February 26th. The Mountain Home, Idaho, couple was on a guided group snowmobile trip. They were riding together on a snowmobile when the accident occurred on the road between Norris and Canyon Village. They were eastbound when the woman lost control of the snowmobile on the road near Ice Lake and the machine flipped over head-to-tail. The man was thrown clear; his wife was trapped between the snowmobile and some trees. The accident was reported about 10:45 a.m. The woman was unresponsive when rangers arrived and was declared dead at the scene. Her injured husband was flown by Air Idaho Rescue helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls for treatment. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. This is the first fatal accident in the park this year. [Al Nash, Public Affairs Specialist] Organ Pipe Cactus NM Major Interdiction of Illegal Aliens Over the first two weeks of February, the park witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of illegal border crossings. In an operation conducted on February 11th, rangers apprehended 89 illegal entrants in a single incident. Upon contact, members of the group dispersed over a large area. With the assistance of aircraft to shuttle rangers around and corral them, rangers were able to apprehend the entire group. Rangers hiked the illegal aliens out to the nearest road and filled two waiting US Border Patrol buses. [Fred Patton, Chief Ranger] Blue Ridge Parkway Drug Trafficking Arrest On Friday, February 24th, rangers made a vehicle stop for a minor traffic violation near mile post 62. The stop resulted in the seizure of 12 grams of crack cocaine and marijuana packaged for distribution. The male driver was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and operating on a revoked license. He was also found to have an extensive criminal history dating back to the 1970's, including multiple assault and battery and resisting arrest convictions, and currently on bond pending sentencing for felony drug and assault charges with the state. The female passenger admitted to funding the purchase of the drugs so they could be re-sold to make a profit. Both are being held in federal custody pending grand jury indictments for possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. [Bruce W. Bytnar, Ridge District Ranger] St. Croix NSR Special Event: Cross Country Ski Race On February 25th, the 33rd annual Subaru American Birkebeiner cross country ski race took place along the northern section of the Namekagon River District within the park. The race covered 51 kilometers between Telemark/Cable and Hayward, Wisconsin, with three kilometers of the race within the park. The race is the largest cross country ski race in North America, with about 6,800 skiers representing 19 foreign countries and 45 states. Protection rangers from the Namekagon District and Marshland Subdistrict provided law enforcement and EMS support to Hayward City Police Department at Lake Hayward, which is within NPS jurisdiction. The rangers worked checkpoints monitoring the event. Several minor medical emergencies, such as hypothermia, twisted ankles, cramps and fatigue, occurred throughout the race. Personnel from several state and local agencies and departments provided law enforcement and EMS along with rangers, including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bayfield and Sawyer Counties Sheriff Departments, Sawyer County EMS, Hayward Police Department and Hayward Fire Department. In a photo finish, Italian Marco Cattaneo beat teammate Roberto DeZolt by half an inch to capture the champion's title. [Chuck Carlson, Namekagon District Ranger] * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |