NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

BLACKBERRY EDITION

Thursday, April 13, 2006

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INCIDENTS

Buck Island Reef NM

Tour Boat Passengers Threatened

On April 11th, a park concessioner reported to the Virgin Islands Police Department that a man had been driving on the waterfront pedestrian boardwalk and was now acting in a threatening manner towards passengers who were in the process of boarding his sailboat, which was about to leave for the island. The initial report was that the man was waving a machete and screaming obscenities at passengers and passersby. The park's chief ranger heard the report on the VIPD frequency and responded from Fort Christiansvaern, approximately 200 yards from the reported incident, arriving minutes before the police. The man had gotten back into his vehicle and was revving the engine and was about to drive further on the boardwalk as the ranger attempted to get pedestrians out of the path of the vehicle. VIPD officers arrived, removed him from the vehicle at gunpoint, and placed him under arrest. No one was injured in the encounter. [Chief Ranger's Office]

Gateway NRA

Suicide at Miller Field

On the morning of April 11th, the Park Police received a report of a body at Miller Field. Officers found that a man had apparently committed suicide by handing himself with a rope from a soccer goal post. It appears that he stood on a wooden stool, then kicked it over, in order to assure his demise. A Park Police detective and an ID technician gathered information on site and processed the crime scene. EMS personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. A joint investigation with NYPD is underway. [Bruce D. Cunningham, Captain, Gateway District Commander]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Fort Necessity NB/Friendship Hill NHS

Karl “Chuck” Smith Retires

Chuck Smith has retired following 31 years of service, effective April 2nd. Chuck spent the final years of his career working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under an interagency project agreement (IPA) at Fort Pitt State Park and will continue working for Fort Pitt in his retirement. At his request, only a small retirement party is being planned. It will be held on April 28th. Among other send-off gifts, we would like to present him with the traditional book of letters and photographs. Please send your remembrances to Joyce_Boone@nps.gov not later than noon, April 28th. [Ken Mabery, Superintendent]

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Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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