|
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Friday, October 12, 2012 INCIDENTS Grand Canyon NP Investigators Seeking Information In Search For Missing Man Rangers are searching for a man who was last seen waiting to get on a commercial tour bus near Bright Angel Lodge. The man had been traveling with a companion, but failed to get on the bus on the afternoon of Saturday, October 6th. His companion reported him missing. He has been identified as 76-year-old Y.Y. of Japan. Y.Y. is 5'6” tall, weighs 150 pounds, has grey hair and brown eyes, and wears glasses. He was last seen wearing a grey, short-sleeve, button-down shirt, light brown photography vest, black pants, black tennis shoes, and a brown sun hat. Park investigators are asking anyone who may have seen Y.Y. on or since October 6th - or who might have information about his whereabouts - to call the park's Silent Witness line at 928-638-7766. [Shannan Marcak, Public Affairs Specialist] Grand Canyon NP Phoenix Man Convicted Of Assault On Two Rangers Last March, rangers responded to a tractor-trailer that was broken down in a congested area of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The driver became angry with concession employees and two rangers when they attempted to assist him with unlocking his brakes so he could drive the trailer to Phoenix. He caused a disturbance by cursing repeatedly at the employees and rangers and was ultimately detained for creating the disturbance. Soon after rangers handcuffed the driver, he began physically resisting them. He started fighting the rangers and kicked one of them when they attempted to search him for weapons. The rangers eventually had to wrestle him to the ground, where he continued to fight them. The involved rangers requested immediate backup and were supported by other rangers and ATFE and ISB agents. The driver was finally subdued and taken to the park's booking facility to be processed. At the booking facility, the driver again became combative and four officers attempted to gain control of him. During the altercation, he bit one of the officers in the webbing of his hand. The bite broke the skin, caused bruising and an avulsion of skin, and resulted in substantial bleeding. Special agents with the Investigative Services Branch were asked to lead the investigation into the multiple assaults. On September 28th, a federal jury in Prescott, Arizona, found the driver, A.K.S., 43, of Phoenix, guilty of two counts of assault on a federal officer. Each count pertained to an officer who was assaulted. A conviction for assault on a federal officer carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Sentencing is set for December 17th. [Investigative Services Branch] Golden Gate NRA Suicide Victim Found Below Battery Rathbone On Thursday, October 4th, park maintenance workers located a backpack on a bench at Battery Rathbone. The backpack contained various items, including a wallet, iPhone, and prescription drug bottles. Investigators soon determined that the backpack belonged to a woman who was possibly suicidal. Rescue Vessel 29, a patrol vessel from Point Reyes that was assigned to a special event in the area, responded and found a body on the cliff side, approximately 80 feet above the shoreline and directly below Battery Rathbone. Rangers instituted ICS and requested assistance from the U.S. Park Police Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) and Southern Marin Fire Department. A lowering system was built and a ranger and a Southern Marin firefighter were lowered with a litter to the body. They recovered the victim, who matched the description of the suicidal woman. She was then lowered to waiting Golden Gate lifeguards on a jet ski, who in turn transferred the body to Rescue Vessel 29. The body was taken to the Coast Guard station at Fort Baker, where a positive ID was made by the coroner and next of kin were notified. Although it was an unfortunate event, the response was notable for excellent interdivisional coordination among park maintenance employees, rangers (from both Golden Gate and Point Reyes), Park Police officers, and Coast Guard and Southern Marin FD personnel. [Randy Lavasseur, Deputy Chief Ranger] OTHER NEWS The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. To see the full text, including images, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the NPS Digest page ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/): Fire and Aviation Management - National Fire Prevent Week: How often do we go about our daily activities on the premise that nothing bad will happen? How often do we think about fire safety in our workplaces or in our homes? Be prepared before fire happens. Centennial Office - A new website has been launched where NPS employees, park partners and national park supporters can share ideas, support and build upon the National Park Service's "A Call to Action," and collaborate in preparation for the NPS Centennial in 2016 -- and beyond. Fire and Aviation Management - The Joint Fire Science Program's funding opportunity notices are now open. The program has posted six primary notices and three additional notices. Hawaii Volcanoes NP - One of Pacific West Region's most respected and revered park rangers, Jim Gale, retired from the NPS on Friday, October 5th. Servicewide Training and Conference Calendar - A compilation of upcoming training courses and conferences across the nation, plus online training. Added to this week's listing are the following - a new online course on hiring reform for managers and a COR/COTR 40-hour refresher at Mather Training Center. * * * * The Morning Report is a publication of the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, produced by the Office of Communications with the support of the Office of the Associate Director for Information Resources. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov). --- ### --- |