|
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Friday, October 13, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Grand Canyon NP Man Sentenced For Fraudulent River Permit Scheme T.J.O., 45, of Whitewater, California, pled guilty on October 6th to three counts of conspiring to fraudulently obtain noncommercial river permits for the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon by using the identities of deceased or fictitious people. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, five years probation (during which he is banned from all National Park Service areas), and a $7,500 payment to the Grand Canyon Search and Rescue Fund. T.J.O. pled guilty to offenses from two separate complaints for his actions from May, 2001, through June, 2006. “We appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Attorney's Office in prosecuting this case,” said superintendent Joe Alston. “We are pleased with the outcome and hope his sentence will serve as a deterrent to others that have tried to abuse the system and who have unjustly impacted those who have legitimately waited many years for a river permit.” The investigation in this case was conducted by staff from Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon. The prosecution was handled by Camille D. Bibles, assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Arizona. For particulars on a related conviction, click on HYPERLINK "http://classicinside.nps.gov/headline.cfm?type=Incidents&id=2836" http://classicinside.nps.gov/headline.cfm?type=Incidents&id=2836 . [Wyn Hornbuckle, U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona] Canyon de Chelly NM Special Event: Visit From Arizona Supreme Court On October 5th, justices from the Arizona Supreme Court toured Canyon de Chelly National Monument with park staff, local residents and court aids. The court was in town to conduct oral arguments in two cases, making it the first that they have done so within the Navajo Nation. The court's appearance was part of a strategy to better connect with communities, particularly those in the most remote areas of Arizona. The high court was led by Chief Justice Ruth V. McGregor and Vice Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch. Other justices included Michael D. Ryan, Andrew D. Hurwitz and Scott Bales. It should be noted that Justice Scott Bales has been a long time volunteer for national parks in Arizona. Activities and security were coordinated by William Yazzie, the park's chief ranger, and by Ailema Benally. [Elaine Leslie, Assistant Superintendent] Death Valley NP Fatal Semi-Trailer Accident On the morning of October 10th, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer who resides in the park reported an overturned semi-trailer on Highway 190 west of Stovepipe Wells. The semi-trailer dump bed overturned near the Emigrant rest rooms; the truck and another attached trailer were about 1,000 feet uphill at the entrance to the Emigrant campground. The truck, which was in several pieces, appeared to have been subjected to tremendous force. The driver's body was found near the corner of the highway and the entrance to the campground. Diesel fuel spilled from the rig into the campground. CalTrans hazmat units responded to assess the severity of the spill, and park resource management staff are working with them to determine what cleanup measures need to be taken. The vehicle and driver were both working on a CalTrans paving project that's currently underway within the park. CHP is the lead agency in the investigation. [Nancy Wizner, Chief Ranger] LINK TO INSIDENPS For other current NPS news stories, click on HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/ * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |