NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Thursday, March 13, 2008
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INCIDENTS
US Park Police
Conviction In Significant Weapons Possession Case
A 24-year-old New Jersey man, T.F., has pled guilty to weapons, firearms, ammunition and Molotov cocktail charges in a case related to a 2007 immigration rights rally in Meridian Hill Park. On February 26th, T.F., of Wayne, New Jersey, pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to carrying a dangerous weapon (a seven-inch-long K-bar knife), possession of an unregistered firearm (an M-1 carbine), unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of a Molotov cocktail. T.F.'s sentencing is scheduled for May 5th. He is facing statutory terms of up to five years of imprisonment each on the dangerous weapon and Molotov cocktail counts and a year of imprisonment on each of the possession counts. He will likely face a sentence of between 6 and 24 months on the count of carrying a dangerous weapon alone. According to the government's evidence, on May 1, 2007, T.F. went to Meridian Hill Park in Northwest Washington to confront persons gathered to advocate immigration rights at a rally scheduled in the park that day. When first observed in the park, he was seen posting signs in the rally area. One of the signs included a graphic drawing depicting military personnel firing their weapons at and into immigrants entering the United States at the United States-Mexican border. The sign bore the words, “In order to stop the flood ... you have to stop the flow!” Rally participants confronted T.F. and a verbal, then physical, altercation ensued. U.S. Park Police officers responded, located T.F., and ultimately placed him under arrest for assault. After his arrest, officers searched T.F. and his backpack. Inside the backpack, they found, among other items, the K-bar knife, a two-inch dagger, and a loaded 26.5 mm single shot flare gun. Concerned that he might have additional weapons nearby, the USPP officers located and seized T.F.'s Jeep Cherokee, which was found next to the park. Inside the Jeep, they discovered a loaded M-1 .30 caliber carbine concealed next to a box of ammunition. ATF agents subsequently inspected the rifle and determined that, although originally manufactured to be semi-automatic, the rifle had been converted to allow it to fire as fully automatic and that it was capable of doing so. The defendant had not registered the rifle in D.C. On May 2, 2007, the Park Police and ATF executed a search warrant at T.F.'s apartment. Inside the apartment, they found seven more unregistered firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a glass jar wrapped in a T-shirt containing a mix of alcohol, ethanol, and a Styrofoam substance. The ATF analyzed the glass jar and its contents and determined that it was “consistent with an improvised incendiary weapon, commonly known as a Molotov cocktail.” In announcing the guilty plea, the U.S. attorney commended USPP detective Robert Freeman and officers James Walsh, Michael Abate, Adam Mendes, Wayne Humberson, Jeffrey Bartlett, detective sergeant Robert Steinheimer and sergeant Marco Ricciardi - along with others from ATF, the FBI and Metro Transportation PD - for their work in investigating and prosecuting the case. [Channing Phillips, Public Affairs, Department of Justice]
Great Smoky Mountains NP
Three Escape Serious Injury When Trees Fall On Car
On March 3rd, J.M. and two companions were traveling southbound on Newfound Gap Road in a 2001 Nissan Altima when it was struck by falling trees. The park was experiencing a strong wind event when three locust trees blew over in succession and landed on their car, hitting the roof and crushing the entire passenger compartment. All three were pinned in the Nissan for more than two hours while rescue efforts were underway. Ranger Walt West used a chainsaw to remove the trees from the car, and Gatlinburg Fire Department personnel cut the roof off of the car to access the interior. All three were alert and oriented throughout the rescue operation. They were transported to a local hospital and found to have only minor injuries. Ranger Chuck Hester was the incident commander. [Steve Kloster, Tennessee District Ranger]
Big Bend NP
Injured Hiker Calls In Rescue Via Cell Phone
One of those unwanted telemarketer calls finally paid off for a recipient. A 24-year-old man from Alpine was hiking off-trail in the Lost Mine Peak area when he received a call from a telemarketer on his cell phone, which he thought he'd turned off due to lack of service. Following this brief interruption, he resumed his wilderness hike. Later that day, he dislodged a large boulder while descending a slope. It struck him on the head, then landed on his leg, causing a possible broken ankle. Remembering the earlier phone call, he dragged himself to a location where he believed he might be able to get a cellular signal. He was successful and was able to reach park dispatch and provide the dispatcher with his GPS location. Rangers reached his location after dark, and, due to the terrain, opted to bivouac overnight with him. A litter team reached their location at daylight and the man was carried back to the trail, transported by horseback to a waiting ambulance at the trailhead, and taken to a hospital. Since the hiker was well of the park's trail system, the prospect of learning about and locating him in a timely fashion would have been extremely difficult without the 911 call. Ranger/pilot Jim Traub was IC. [Mark Spier, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS:
Servicewide - March is Women's History Month. Director Bomar has sent out a memorandum on recognizing and celebrating this event.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6296" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6296
NPS Alumni - Notes of appreciation to Dr. Richard Sellars, who retired on February 29th, are being collected for compilation that will be sent to him.
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1851" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=1851
Valley Forge NHP - Superintendent Michael Caldwell has been named one of Philadelphia Business Journal's “40 under 40” award recipients. Caldwell was selected for his commitment to professional excellence and community involvement.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1852" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1852
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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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