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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT BLACKBERRY EDITION Friday, June 16, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Yellowstone NP Two Fugitives Captured in Park An investigation into a hit-and-run accident in the park on Wednesday led to the apprehension of two men wanted in connection with a bank robbery in Iowa. Rangers found an unoccupied vehicle in the Canyon Lodge cabin complex around 10:30 p.m. which matched the description of one involved in a hit-and-run accident in the Canyon area earlier in the evening. The operator, J.S., 23, returned to the vehicle and was contacted by the investigating rangers. During questioning, rangers learned that J.S. and a companion were staying in a nearby cabin. While rangers were contacting the second man, criminal checks revealed that J.S. had an active felony arrest warrant against him in connection with a May 8th bank robbery in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Both men then fled into the woods. J.S. was apprehended after a short pursuit and a protracted struggle which ended when a ranger used a taser to bring him under control. J.S.'s companion, 32-year-old Aaron Rafferty, eluded immediate capture. J.S. was arrested and transported to the jail in Mammoth Hot Springs. Additional law enforcement staff were dispatched to Canyon to assist in the manhunt for Rafferty. Road blocks were set up throughout the park, and entrance stations were opened to advise visitors that a manhunt was underway. Rafferty was captured around 6 a.m. Thursday morning when a security guard employed by Xanterra Parks and Resorts reported seeing him sleeping in a vehicle. He was taken into custody without incident. Nearly 40 law enforcement rangers, officers and special agents from Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and the Park County Sheriff's Office were involved in the manhunt. Rangers and special agents are working jointly with the FBI in Iowa and with Oskaloosa City police in the investigation. Both men will appear before a federal magistrate in Yellowstone on charges that include assault on a federal officer, eluding and evading, and DUI. Efforts are also underway to extradite the men back to Iowa, where they will face both state and federal charges for armed bank robbery. [Public Affairs] Badlands NP Illegal Collection of Minerals and Paleontological Objects On the afternoon of June 5th, rangers were contacted by an off-duty ranger who was visiting the park with his family. While taking in the sights at Pinnacles overlook, the ranger saw a man sifting through and collecting rocks. The off-duty ranger notified park law enforcement rangers, who quickly responded. Upon arrival at the overlook, they found that the man had already left the area. A “be on the lookout” message was broadcast over the park's radio system and a man matching the suspect's description was quickly found. When contacted, he openly admitted to collecting samples from the park and walked the investigating rangers to his vehicle. When he opened the passenger door, rangers saw several clear plastic bags labeled ‘Badlands' containing what appeared to be rocks. There were many other bags, variously labeled ‘Devils Tower,' ‘Grand Teton,' ‘Little Bighorn,' and ‘Yellowstone.' The bags were seized and the vehicle was searched. Twenty-seven bags containing minerals and paleontological objects were recovered along with an assortment of hand tools and rock shifters. The items were taken from the five noted NPS sites, plus a number of historic sites in South Dakota, including Wounded Knee. Federal charges were filed against the man. The case remains under investigation. [Mark Gorman, Chief Ranger] Guilford Courthouse NMP Felony Breaking and Entering At 10 minutes after midnight on June 7th, glass break alarms and motion/entry alarms went off at the front entrance of the visitor center and museum, sending out notifications to park staff. Rangers and Greensboro City PD officers soon arrived at the building and found that the glass entrance door had been shattered, spreading glass both inside and outside of the building. The park's donation box was found turned over on its side. A perimeter was set up around the building and canine units were summoned. The dog teams arrived and the building was searched and secured. Meanwhile, three men were seen running away from the area into the nearby woods, so additional officers were called in. Shortly thereafter, three out-of-breath men were spotted behind a business on Battleground Avenue, about a mile from the crime scene. They were detained, separated, and questioned as to why they were in the area. There were inconsistencies in their replies. Meanwhile, the dogs tracked the scent of the burglars from the crime scene along a city greenway that connects to park trails and to the location where the three men were being detained. At this point, all three confessed to taking part in the crime and were arrested and charged with felony breaking and entering. Although several attempts had been made to pry open the donation box during the break-in , they were unsuccessful. [Steve Ware, Park Ranger] OTHER NEWS Other news of interest from today's edition of InsideNPS, which can be found at this address if your inside the NPS ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/) and at this address if you're outside the NPS ( HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://www.nps.gov/applications/digest/). Note that not all articles that appear in the former make it into the latter: An article on the huge new national monument created by the president in the Hawaiian Islands Naming of Bob Fudge as chief of interpretation for NER Naming of Ralph Moore as super of KATM Ranger job in the Needles District at CANY Ranger job at FOPU Secretary job at GRTE This week's training and events calendars * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |