NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Tuesday, June 23, 2008
===============================================================================================================
INCIDENTS
Big Cypress NP
Two Men Arrested For Alligator Poaching And Auto Theft
Staff at the Oasis Visitor Center received two reports within minutes of each other on Saturday, June 14th - one concerning a motor vehicle accident on Turner River Road and the other concerning suspected alligator poaching on Wagon Wheel Road. Ranger MaryJo Shreffler responded and found two vehicles just off of Turner River Road, a white Ford F-250 and metallic green Toyota Prius. Both vehicles were stuck in the mud. Shreffler contacted two men in the Prius and saw two rifles in plain view. While Shreffler was securing the two loaded rifles, the man in the passenger seat reached under the front seat. Shreffler ordered him to show his hands to her. When he failed to do so, Shreffler drew her firearm and again ordered him to show his hands. He finally complied. Shreffler maintained control of the scene and requested backup. Units from the Collier County Sheriff's Office and Everglades National Park arrived within 10 minutes. Both men were handcuffed and secured. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a 9mm semi-automatic handgun under the seat where the one man had been reaching. A check through NCIC revealed that both vehicles had been stolen the evening before in Lee County. Shreffler realized that the white truck matched the description of the vehicle involved in the suspected alligator poaching. A dead, four-foot-long alligator was found in the rear tool box. The alligator had been shot in the head. Three other dead alligators were also found a short distance away, all shot in the head. A clear drag mark was observed from the rear of the Prius to the three dead alligators. Blood was also found in the rear of the Prius. A small amount of marijuana was found in both vehicles and on one of the men. Shell casings and items reported stolen from Lee County were found in both vehicles, including the stolen 9mm handgun. The two men - one an adult and the other a juvenile - were arrested and transported to the Collier County jail. Numerous charges have been filed on the pair by three different agencies. [Ryan Levins, North District Ranger]
Zion NP
Two Canyon Rescues Conducted By Rangers
On the afternoon of Friday, June 20th, rangers learned that K.L., 18, had climbed 100 feet up the side and end of Shelf Canyon without ropes or equipment and that he'd gotten stuck and was unable to descend safely without assistance. Responding rangers found that he was actually closer to 200 feet up a fifth class slope - but, fortunately, uninjured. Rangers Andrew Fitzgerald and Vid Walker lead a climb to the stranded Boy Scout, set an anchor, and safely lowered him to the ground. The group that K.L. was with had mistakenly thought that Shelf Canyon was the approach to the popular Spry Canyon. Craig Thexton was the operations chief on this incident. On Saturday evening, park dispatch received a report that cries for help had been heard coming from Echo Canyon. Rangers Rob Wissinger and Tom Parrack responded and located a party of four canyoneers who'd become stranded hundreds of feet above the bottom of a side canyon. They'd attempted to exit from the side canyon because a 30-foot-high wall of snow blocked their safe progress down the canyon's traditional route. After determining that there were no injuries, Parrack made a technical descent to their location and supplied the four men with overnight gear, food and water. They were raised up from their position the following morning after receiving instructions on ascent techniques. A similar technical rescue was performed in the same canyon on May 13th, when another group of canyoneers found snow blocking their route. They were also unable to go either forward or back and had to be rescued. Craig Thexton was the incident commander. [Bonnie Schwartz, Chief Ranger]
Big Thicket NP
Rangers Rescue Five Missing Canoeists
On Sunday, June 15th, the Hardin County Sheriff's Office contacted the park and asked rangers to assist in a search for a party of overdue canoeists. The group, consisting of two adults and three children, had put in on Village Creek near Wildwood Resort City and planned to canoe to US Highway 69. The water level for this section of Village Creek was lower than normal and generally unsuitable for travel. After several hours of difficult canoeing, a member of the group telephoned for help. The canoeists were unsure of their location and had no equipment or supplies to continue after dark. Rangers also learned that two of the children in the group had special needs. Rangers, Hardin County officers, Texas Parks and Wildlife wardens and volunteer fire department personnel worked together to locate the party. The group was found shortly after midnight more than five miles from their planned destination. Other than suffering from minor injuries and mild dehydration, they were in good physical condition. [Josh Clemons, Park Ranger]
C&O Canal NHP
Robbery And Attempted Sexual Assault
A lone man abducted a woman from a street near the park within Washington, D.C., around 1:30 a.m. on June 14th, then dragged her down to the canal at Lock 2 with the intent of sexually assaulting her. He forced her to the ground, but she fought back and screamed. He then grabbed her purse and fled. The Park Police Criminal Investigative Branch is currently searching for the man, who is described as a black male, medium complexion, approximately 5'10” in height and between 20 and 30 years of age. At the time of the crime the suspect was wearing a black t-shirt, dark shorts, and sneakers. [Sergeant Robert Lachance, PAO, USPP]
OTHER NEWS
Other stories can be read on InsideNPS at one or the other of these two sites:
NPS readers - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index
Non-NPS readers - HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/
Among the stories in today's edition are the following:
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP - The park and Conservation Study Institute will celebrate their tenth anniversary this summer with the opening of the Forest Center, a building that represents a marriage of sustainability and craftsmanship and serves as a reminder of the “fertile relationship between art, environment and technology.”
Lincoln Boyhood NM - About 4300 Boy and Girl Scouts invaded the park, its neighbor, Lincoln State Park, and adjacent private property known as Buffalo Run for the Lincoln Bicentennial Scout Encampment on a weekend in early May.
Petersburg NB - Last week, the park held a celebration of the Juneteenth National Freedom Day. The annual Juneteenth event commemorates the freeing of all slaves on June 19, 1865, two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
NRPC - Robert Bennetts, Geoffrey Sanders, and Alan Ellsworth have been named the recipients of the annual Inventory and Monitoring Awards for 2008.
* * * * *
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
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 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).
--- ### ---