NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

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INCIDENTS

Delaware Water Gap NRA

Three Arrested Following High Speed Chase

Ranger Rich Aldridge stopped an Audi sedan for speeding on River Road on December 21st. During the stop, Aldridge detected the scent of marijuana inside the car. While he was waiting for backup, the driver sped off, attaining speeds over 90 mph on this narrow, twisting road. The driver crashed about three miles down the road, and all three of the Audi's occupants fled through the snow into the woods. Ranger Nate Bungard and two security officers from nearby Fernwood Resort provided backup. One of the trio was arrested shortly thereafter. Aldridge and Bungard then tracked the other two through the woods. Bungard found one of them walking along River Road and a Fernwood officer later found the other hiding in an abandoned truck. All three spent the Christmas holiday in the Pike County Correctional Center and were charged with numerous violations, including fleeing, possession of a controlled substance, giving false information, and traffic infractions. The driver had been arrested in the park six months earlier by Pennsylvania State Police troopers on drug and weapons violations and had received a year's probation. He's now serving the rest of that probation in jail. A second man was wanted by NYPD on drug charges and was extradited to the prison on Riker's Island. [Chris Kross, Supervisory Park Ranger]

Independence NHP

Woman Jumps To Death From Park Garage

On the afternoon of January 23rd, the park's law enforcement specialist was advised that a person had either jumped, fallen or been pushed to her death from the park-owned parking garage. The law enforcement specialist, rangers and city detectives conducted a joint investigation. They determined that the 51-year-old Philadelphia woman had committed suicide, as a video from one of the park's security cameras helped rule out foul play. [Donald Reed, Law Enforcement Specialist]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories (among others) can be read on the following sites:

InsideNPS (internal) - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

NPS Digest (external) - HYPERLINK "http://www.npsdigest.gov/" http://www.npsdigest.gov/

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Washington Office - President Bush yesterday proposed $2.4 billion in fiscal year 2009 for the National Park Service - a $160.9 million increase over the FY 2008 request.

Harpers Ferry Center - The February edition of “HFC onMedia” is now available.

Lake Mead NRA - The park has put a successful taser program into effect. Since park rangers began carrying and using tasers in the fall of 2006, use of firearms in confrontations has dropped significantly.

Park Facility Management Division - Tim Harvey has been named the new division chief for the Park Facility Management Division in the Washington Office. Photo.

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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).

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