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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Tuesday, September 26, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Valley Forge NHP Sentencing In Arson Case On August 9, 2005, rangers responded to a structure fire at one of the park's reproduction soldier huts. The fire was subsequently ruled an arson. Within hours of the fire, protection rangers identified C.M.M., Jr. as a suspect. A major investigation was begun that involved rangers, local police, local fire marshals, and ATF agents. C.M.M. was arrested in October, 2005, on an outstanding local warrant after being spotted in the park by rangers. He was interviewed about his possible involvement in the arson while in custody. After several months of interviewing C.M.M. about his whereabouts and involvement with the fire, he gave rangers and an ATF special agent a signed confession. In his confession, C.M.M. said that he started the fire to retaliate against rangers for questioning him about various suspicious activity complaints and traffic offenses. On September 19th, C.M.M. was sentenced to 33 months to be served, five years supervised release, $20,000 in restitution to Valley Forge National Historical Park, and anger management classes during his incarceration. [Paula Risell, Supervisory Park Ranger[ Grand Canyon NP Confrontation With Disturbed Person The Coconino County Sheriff's Office broadcast a ‘be on the lookout' message on September 5th for a blue Jeep Liberty that had just left the Tusayan airport and was headed toward the park. The driver, identified as D.L., 36, had threatened to blowup or shoot down a helicopter. Although the message didn't indicate whether or not D.L. was armed, the reporting party said that he had ammunition with him. The Jeep was spotted in the park and followed while rangers positioned themselves for a high-risk vehicle stop. Before they could all get into place, though, D.L. pulled into a parking area and jumped out of his car. Rangers on foot, on bikes and in patrol vehicles converged on him and detained him at the county's request. Investigation revealed that D.L. had rented a car in California and driven to the Flagstaff airport, where he left the car, rented a second car, and continued on to the Tusayan airport. D.L. had damaged property inside the airport terminal and also made the threatening statements about shooting down aircraft. D.L. had a U.S. passport with numerous stamps from Jordan and other Middle-Eastern countries. He said he worked for the NSA and was highly agitated about the situation in Iran. He was taken to Flagstaff for a psychiatric evaluation, then turned over to the county. [Karyl Yeston, Incident Commander] Cape Hatteras NS Woman Drowns In Ocean Near Rodanthe On the morning of September 22nd, a 32-year-old woman went swimming in the Atlantic with a boogie board about a quarter mile south of the Rodanthe pier. Bystanders soon noticed that she was having trouble. A call was placed to Dare central dispatch by a Chicamacomico Banks Fire and Rescue unit, which was still in the area following another water rescue a few minutes earlier, and additional fire and rescue personnel responded with a PWC. While they were en route, the woman lost hold of the board and disappeared under the surface. She was found and brought to shore, but could not be revived. A physician at the scene pronounced her dead. [Wayne Rose, Park Ranger] NEWS Fort Raleigh - Archeologist are about to begin a dig in an effort to find the original Roanoke colonies. HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=4796" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=4796 Visitor and Resource Protection - A memorandum entitled “Interagency Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation Procedures Reference Guide and NPS Reference Manual 18, Chapter 10” was transmitted to the field on September 22nd. HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=4798" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=4798 MEDIA Servicewide - Denver Post article on decrease in camping Servicewide. HYPERLINK "http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4391721" http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4391721 PEOPLE Black Canyon/Curecanti - Connie Rudd is the new super. HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1322" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1322 Big Bend/Rio Grande - Bill Wellman is the new super. HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1323" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1323 * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |