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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Tuesday, February 27, 2007 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Yellowstone NP Defendant in Manslaughter Case Sentenced On February 16th, C.S., who'd been found guilty of manslaughter in the death of the passenger in his car in an accident last September, was sentenced in federal court in Casper to 57 months in prison and three years' supervised release. The second count of the felony indictment, which charged him with providing false information, was dismissed. The case resulted from a September 6, 2006, incident in Gardiner Canyon in which C.S. lost control of his 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche, which then skidded for over 160 feet and plunged 45 feet down into the Gardiner River. The hazardous and technical rescue and recovery operation involved more than 30 NPS fire, EMS and protection personnel, assisted by local firefighters and officers. M.W., the passenger in the Avalanche, was killed in the accident. C.S. showed signs of intoxication and registered a blood alcohol level of over .211. Agents and rangers found numerous witnesses who reported that the Avalanche had been driven recklessly through the Mammoth area and at a high rate of speed through a narrow canyon prior to the accident. C.S. has been in federal custody since the day after the accident, when he was arrested by NPS agents in Idaho Falls on a felony warrant. NPS investigators received valuable assistance from both the Montana Highway Patrol and the Park County coroner. [Brian Smith, Special Agent in Charge] Glen Canyon NRA Three Survive Airplane Crash Into Lake Powell A single-engine Cirrus SR-22 with three people on board crashed into Lake Powell on Saturday, February 24th. On board were pilot R.B., his brother L.B., and R.G., an Olympic gold-medalist in wrestling. The plane crashed into the lake at Good Hope Bay, a remote location between Hite and Bullfrog. Fortunately, none of the three men was significantly injured in the crash. They swam in the 44-degree water for about an hour before making it to shore, then spent a night in the backcountry without fire or shelter. On Sunday morning, they flagged down a passing fisherman, who took them back to Bullfrog. Ranger-medics at Bullfrog evaluated them and found that they were okay, though hypothermic. The incident has received national attention because of Gardner's fame. He recorded a historic upset in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, when he won a gold medal in wrestling in a significant upset. For a news story with additional details, click on “More Information” below. [Kevin Schneider, Management Assistant] HYPERLINK "http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5306376" http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5306376 Delaware Water Gap NRA Rescue Of Seriously Injured Hiker On the evening of Saturday, February 24th, a 37-year-old woman was hiking with five friends on the connector trail between the Kaiser and Copper Mine trails. One of her friends fell and needed assistance in getting up. The woman, who was wearing crampons, reached down the slope to help him, but fell head first as she was doing so. She slid down the steep slope for 60 to 100 feet, hitting several trees on the way down and coming to rest against a large tree. Two EMT's who were hiking with her responded immediately. They determined that she'd sustained serious injuries, including a possible broken femur, broken arm and head and internal injuries. Rangers responded and a lengthy rescue operation ensued. Due to the steep slope and icy conditions, all had to wear crampons and employ safety lines. The woman was extricated and transported to a landing zone where a medevac helicopter picked her up and took her to a hospital in Morristown, New Jersey. [Larry Commisso, Supervisory Park Ranger] OTHER NEWS Other news from today's edition of InsideNPS, the National Park Service's home page: Martin Luther King Jr. NHS - Another new collection of “footsteps” of civil rights icons was added yesterday to the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. Fire and Aviation Management - Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is an important but perhaps little known program that provides “first aid” to the land after a wildfire, preventing further damage from erosion. A new interactive flash presentation explains BAER and its place in fire management. Andersonville NHS - On Saturday, February 17th, the National Prisoner of War Museum at Andersonville National Historic Site was reopened after being closed since November 27, 2006. Manassas NBP - Manassas National Battlefield Park is recruiting for a GS-12 chief ranger for its division of visitor protection. To link to InsideNPS, 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. --- ### --- |