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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Tuesday, May 1, 2007 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Jefferson NEM Rangers Deal With Multiple Same-Day Incidents On April 21st, rangers dealt with a series of serious significant incidents: Rangers were asked to assist St. Louis Metropolitan PD in an officer-involved shooting incident that had occurred adjacent to park property. They set up a vehicle checkpoint and swept the grounds for a possible second armed person, but later learned that only one gunman had been involved and that he'd been shot and killed by city officers. Later that evening, two rangers used their tasers to bring a combative DWI driver into custody. Both the driver and passenger had outstanding warrants against them. Almost simultaneously with the above, rangers saw two vehicles drag racing next to the parking garage, with one of them speeding down the oncoming lanes of traffic. The 19-year-old driver was arrested for DWI. While still occupied with this case, three assault victims contacted other rangers in the garage. Their assailants were still on scene, but left when they saw the uniformed ranger. Other rangers intercepted them, though, and two of them were subsequently identified by their victims, arrested, and charged with assault (18 USC 113). [Joel Musick, Chief Ranger] Yellowstone NP Felony Poaching Indictment And Arrest During the fall of 2005, special agents and rangers from the River and Gallatin Districts began an investigation into two seemingly connected killings of bull elk adjacent to Highway 191 and within the park. The case led to a joint investigation with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Connections to similar crimes in other jurisdictions and the identification of significant physical evidence provided links to several suspects. In November of 2006, the park's special response team, supported by several local, state and federal agencies, executed simultaneous search warrants for three structures and a vehicle in Gallatin and Jefferson Counties in Montana. The case was then further developed by agents and rangers and presented to a grand jury in Wyoming by the US Attorney's Office this past March. The grand jury issued a true bill and indicted M.B. on an array of charges - unlawful possession of illegally taken wildlife, unlawful transportation of illegally possessed wildlife, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and tampering with a witness. On March 26th, a no bond felony arrest warrant was issued by the district court and entered into NCIC. On April 25th, a team of rangers, assisted by Montana wardens and local officers, served the arrest warrant at the county probation office in Butte, Montana. Rangers arrested M.B. without incident and took him to the Yellowstone County jail in Billings. On April 26th, he appeared before the magistrate there and was ordered held, removed to the Wyoming judicial district, and remanded to the custody of the US Marshals Service. He is currently awaiting arraignment and trial. [Brian Smith, Special Agent in Charge] OTHER NEWS The following stories can be read on either the InsideNPS web site (if you are within the National Park Service) or at the InsideNPS public ‘news digest' site (if you are outside of the NPS). The web sites appear below: Colonial NHP - The commemoration of the founding of Jamestown began last Thursday with a ceremony at Cape Henry marking the 400th anniversary of the completion of the colonists' trans-Atlantic voyage and their arrival in present-day Virginia Beach. Servicewide - USA Today news article: “Fire scientists preparing this year's national wildfire forecast don't expect much of a reprieve from 2006, the worst fire season in a half-century. An average or above-average year is likely...” Delaware Water Gap NRA - Bob Geis, the park's roads and trails facility manager, will be retiring at the end of June following more than 30 years at Delaware Water Gap NRA. Lake Mead NRA - The park is seeking permanent, full time, GL-0025-9 protection rangers interested in lateral reassignments. A number of vacancies at duty stations throughout the park may be filled from this announcement. WASO Concessions - The Concession Division is seeking a GS-1101-9/12 concessions management specialist. The duty station will be in either Denver or Washington. The announcement closes on May 17th. To see the above articles, go to InsideNPS ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/) or NPS Digest ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/). For NPS incident reporting standards, go to HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363 * * * * * Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov, 570-426-2430). --- ### --- |