NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Thursday, September 6, 2007

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INCIDENTS

Yellowstone NP

Armed Confrontation Ends With Arrest Of Three Men

A patrol ranger was called to the Grant Village campground to deal with a noise complaint and a reported disturbance on the evening of September 3rd. Upon arrival, he approached and contacted three men, all of whom immediately became abusive, threatening and hostile. Two of them threatened violence against the ranger, including statements that they would kill him. The ranger called for backup and made a tactical withdrawal. He also drew his taser as the men followed him back toward the car. Once in a better position, he drew his weapon and attempted to control the trio while awaiting arrival of backup. The park's special response team and rangers from the Grant, South, Lake and Old Faithful areas soon arrived on scene. During the initial stages of the standoff, the three men alternated between yelling obscenities and threats of violence and repeatedly entering and exiting their vehicles. One shouted that “someone is going to die tonight;” all three repeatedly challenged rangers to shoot them. The rangers brought out long guns and held the men at gunpoint. On several occasions, the men approached to within 20 feet of individual rangers and appeared to be engaged in some form of attempted police-assisted suicide. The on-scene supervisory ranger developed a plan to take the men into custody. When she had a sufficient number of rangers in place, she had five of them fire tasers nearly simultaneously to incapacitate the trio, then had six other rangers swarm the men and take them into custody. One of the three suffered lacerations when he fell to the ground during the arrest. All three were taken to the jail in Jackson, Wyoming. On September 5th, NPS special agents filed a five-count criminal complaint against two of them and a six-count complaint against the third. These charges included multiple counts for 18 USC 111 violations (assaulting, resisting, opposing, intimidating and interfering with rangers). They had initial appearances before the federal magistrate and are being held by the US Marshals Service pending a detention hearing this coming Monday. [Brian Smith, Special Agent in Charge; Matt Vandzura, Snake District Ranger]

Glacier NP

Driver Injured In Park Shuttle Bus Accident

The driver of a park Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle bus was injured in an accident on the afternoon of September 2nd. B.G., 52, had just left the Sprague Creek campground with an empty bus. B.G. was about two miles from the Apgar Village turnoff when he evidently lost control of the shuttle, which left the road and came to rest 20 feet below, causing the shuttle's air bags to deploy. After being stabilized by park visitors and responding park personnel, Gardner was transported by ALERT air helicopter to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. He was released from the hospital on Tuesday, September 4th. Glacier's optional Sun Road shuttle service completed this season's operation on September 3rd. Approximately 130,000 visitors rode the shuttle over the season, which ran from July 1st to Labor Day. All shuttle drivers are employees of Workplace, Inc., of Kalispell, Montana. [Melissa Wilson, Public Affairs Officer]

Crater Lake NP

Investigators Attempt To ID Remains Found In Park

In September, 2006, firefighters working on the Bybee Fire Use Complex discovered human remains in the Bybee Creek area of the park's backcountry. Investigating rangers found partial skeletal remains, along with clothing fragments and personal effects. Shortly after this discovery, the winter's first major snowfall shut down access to the site. A more thorough search this summer by an FBI evidence recovery team yielded additional skeletal remains and personal property. NPS rangers and special agents, along with FBI agents and forensic scientists, are continuing the investigation in hopes of identifying the remains. Investigators are looking into whether they could be those of G.M., who has been missing since an October 1991 visit to the park. G.M., a 33-year-old Brea, California resident, was the subject of a search after his vehicle was found in the park's Rim Village just before that year's first major snowstorm. Despite an intensive search at the time, no sign of G.M. was found. The remains were found in a remote, off-trail area. Their weathered condition makes it apparent that they have been there for at least several years. A partial skull containing several teeth with dental work was recovered, and investigators hope to identify the victim through dental records and DNA analysis. The cause of death has yet to be determined. [Dave Brennan, Chief Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories (among others) 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 are, respectively, HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/ and ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/).

* Wrangell-St. Elias - Today's lead story is about the installation of a new radio system in the park: “Upgrading the park's radio system to a digital narrowband system entailed replacement of eight radio repeaters, including the shelters and all equipment, on remote mountaintops with elevations from 3,800 to 7,200 feet and in less than optimal weather conditions.”

* Regulations Program - On Monday, August 20th, the Department of the Interior published in the Federal Register a proposed rule for commercial filming and still photography. It will be open for public comment for 60 days. A link to the proposed regulation is included.

* Glen Canyon - New test results of water samples collected from Lake Powell do not indicate the presence of microscopic quagga or zebra mussel larvae, making it uncertain whether or not there's a reproducing population of the mussels in the lake. The prevention program nonetheless remains in full force.

* Gateway - Lou Hansen is retiring on September 30th after 42 years of federal service. Lou has devoted his entire career to the protection of the natural and cultural resources at the park's Sandy Hook Unit.

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Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov, 570-686-3828).

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