NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, January 4, 2010

INCIDENTS

Colorado NM

Man Arrested For Dragging Dog To Death In Park

Greg Crawford, the park's chief of maintenance, went to work extra early on Wednesday, December 30th, to check out conditions on the park's snowy Rim Rock Drive. When Crawford arrived at the park's west entrance road around 4:20 a.m., he saw a grouping of unusual tire tracks, paw prints, and what he would later determine were rope marks near the entrance to the park. Crawford proceeded cautiously up the hill, noting that the prints indicated that the dog was walking next to the vehicle, then running, then being dragged. When he came to the first tunnel three miles up the hill, he found that the tracks stopped, then turned around, and that there was a body of a large dog lying in the snow with a rope around its neck. The dog, a German Shepherd - Blue Heeler mix, was otherwise in good condition, with a heavy coat of winter fur. Protection ranger Clint Forte joined him and began an investigation; the park's VUA supervisor, Leo Dutilly, was called in to download surveillance tapes from the west entrance station which yielded evidence used in the investigation and eventually in an arrest warrant. Other park staff monitored the crime tip line and posted pictures to the park's web page in the hope that someone would identify the dog. A wide-ranging investigation was begun with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office that included interviews, surveillance of people and places, and a search of a home with a search warrant. As a result of the initial public tips, surveillance tapes, overall great law enforcement work and rapid response of the park's entire team across division lines, a suspect - S.R., 36, of Fruita, Colorado - was arrested the next day at the Mesa County courthouse, where he was appearing on unrelated charges. S.R. faces one felony count of aggravated cruelty towards an animal. If found guilty and convicted, the penalty can include up to three years in federal prison and up to a $100,000 fine. S.R. was booked into Mesa County's jail on December 31st and held without bond. He is expected to face detention and initial hearings this week. The investigation is continuing and other charges may be filed. The dog, named “B.,” that S.R. allegedly dragged by his truck to its death, was reportedly stolen by other individuals where S.R. had been staying. Other law enforcement agencies are investigating the dog theft case. The park received hundreds of calls and email notes expressing support for its work and expressing a desire to see the person who committed the crime caught. There were many offers to provide reward money as an incentive to catch a suspect, but evidence and several key tips were received, so the park did not post a reward. [Joan Anzelmo, Superintendent]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

Hawaii Volcanoes NP - This month, which marks the 27th anniversary of the nearly continuous eruption of Kilauea, has been proclaimed Volcano Awareness Month in Hawaii County. Rangers, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists, and University of Hawaii educators are sponsoring programs that highlight the importance of understanding and respecting volcanoes.

Natural Resource Program Center - The winter 2009-2010 issue of Park Science is now available online. Explore the science behind soundscapes in this special issue.

To see these and other stories posted on InsideNPS (or NPS Digest, its public version), click on one or the other of the following links (please note that not all stories in the former appear in the latter):

NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

Non-NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/

NPS serious incident submission standards can be found at the following web site: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=45&id=8728&lv=2&pgid=3504" http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=45&id=8728&lv=2&pgid=3504

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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. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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