Chesapeake and Ohio Canal |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-2024. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
|
August 31, 1987 Location: Swains Lock C.J.G. was fishing in a canoe in the lock when he apparently fell in. Cabin John Rescue and USPP officers responded and recovered the body about 40 minutes later.
Location: Near Wisconsin Ave. U.S. Park Police officers recovered a body believed to be that of J.A.O., 15 (address currently unavailable). The body appeared to have been in the water for several days. The cause of death has yet to be determined and the investigation is continuing.
On April 18th, a federal judge sentenced 45-year-old I.F. of Potomac, Maryland, to 15 days in jail and fined him $20,000 for cutting down 138 trees in the park in order to get a view of the Potomac River. I.F. had been convicted earlier this year of destruction of government timber, a misdemeanor, and disposing of government property, a felony. I.F. bought his house in 1982. Despite discussions with the park about what timber could be cut, I.F. hired a tree service company in 1985 to cut down the trees, valued at more than $30,000. I.F. and his wife later listed the house and four acres for sale, advertising it as having a river view. The house, which has not been sold, was assessed in 1986 for $381,510. I.F. was also ordered to serve two years' probation and perform 300 hours of community service. (Alex Dominguez, Associated Press).
During the early hours of September 15th, Park Police officers received a report that a juvenile had been involved in an accidental shooting in the park near Violet's Lock. The juvenile was taken to Suburban. Hospital and treated for an injury to his right hand. The incident is being investigated, by the USPP's Criminal Investigation Branch. (CompuServe message from Capt. Dave Blackburn, RAD/NCRO).
At approximately 6:45 a.m. on the 4th, a truck carrying number four grade fuel oil overturned on Route I-70 in Maryland and dumped about 3,000 gallons of oil into a drain that empties into the canal near Licking Creek, just north of Four Locks. Although a culvert runs from the canal to the nearby Potomac River, oil did not get into the river. NPS maintenance crews, assisted by Washington County fire and rescue and Maryland DNR, began clean-up of the site later that morning; an oil spill clean-up team was also sent by Hahn Transportation Company, the owners of the truck. Because of the oil's viscosity, it is expected that 99% of it will be recovered. (Mike Mastrangelo, CR, CHOH, via CompuServe message from Tony Sisto, RAD/NCRO, 3 p.m., 1/5/90).
On the morning of the 23rd, a Ford pickup was found under 18 feet of water in the Potomac River about 60 feet from the Four Locks Boat Ramp. An as yet unidentified adult male about 55 years old was discovered inside the cab. Park rangers and units from the Washington County Sheriff's Department, Department of Natural Resources and Maryland State Police responded. It is not yet known whether the incident was an accident or a suicide. (CompuServe message from Capt. Dave Blackburn, RAD/NCRO, 2/26/90).
On the morning of the 4th, A.G., 24, and two friends were hiking on the Billy Goat trail when A.G. fell head first down a 45foot cliff. Rangers were notified and responded along with a Park Police helicopter and a local fire and rescue unit. A.G. was found conscious but suffering from a serious closed head injury. He was immobilized, then evacuated by helicopter to Suburban Hospital, where he was admitted in serious condition. A.G. was treated and released on July 7th. (Telefaxed report from Chris Lea, CHOH, 7/9).
On July 27th, park rangers assisted the Maryland State Police and Washington County Sheriff's Office in a search for a suspect in an attempted double murder which occurred near the canal. Two people had been injured by gunfire in a nearby (church parking lot early in the evening. The suspect, who was heavily armed, fled the shooting, but was apprehended the next morning in a nearby Maryland state park after having attempted suicide. All three persons are expected to survive. The suspect is believed to have been a seasonal park employee in the Maryland state park system. The incident was reportedly caused by a love triangle. (Telefax from Tony Sisto, RAD/MCRO, 7/30).
On the morning of the 5th, N.R., 53, of the Australian embassy in Washington, was jogging with a friend along the park's towpath. They stopped at Great Falls Tavern, where N.R. went into the restroom. Shortly thereafter, a visitor discovered N.R. lying on the floor. Rangers responded and found N.R. was not breathing and did not have a pulse. They began and continued CPR until relieved by a local rescue medic. N.R. is currently in critical condition in a local hospital. (Telefaxed report from Tom Nash, CHOH, 8/7).
Mike Mastrangelo, the chief ranger at C & O Canal, died unexpectedly at his home late on the morning of March 9th. The apparent cause of death was a heart attack. Mike was 42 years old. He leaves a wife and three children. We will provide you with further details on the funeral as soon as possible. [Telephone report from Ed Drotos, RAD/NCRO, 3/9]
The funeral for Chief Ranger Mike Mastrangelo will be at St. Augustine's Catholic Church on East Potomac Street in Williamsport, Maryland, at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13th. Calling hours will be at Thompson's Funeral Home on Route 40 in Clear Spring, Maryland, between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. today. There will also be a short service at the funeral home at 7:00 p.m. Those members of the NPS attending the funeral in uniform should be in winter Class A dress. Marked NPS patrol vehicles will be in the funeral procession; if you are coming from a nearby park, please consider driving your patrol vehicle. Condolences should be sent to Colleen Mastrangelo, 11118 Four Locks Road, Clear Spring, MD 21722. Donations will be accepted in Mike's name for a scholarship fund, but details are not yet available. [Telephone report from Bill Orlando, CHOH, 3/11]
On March 19th, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Baltimore, Maryland, announced that it had filed a $1 million civil complaint against L., J. and M.G. for cutting down two dozen large trees in March of 1988 in violation of an agreement which they had made with the park. The family own a 192-acre estate called Marwood in Montgomery County which overlooks the Potomac River. According to the complaint filed in civil court, the family directed their property manager to remove selected trees from a narrow strip of woodland along the park which contained a scenic easement which they'd negotiated with the park. The NPS had paid the family $88,341 to obtain the easement, which barred them from cutting trees larger than six inches in diameter in that area and also prohibited the dumping of "foreign material." Rangers said they found that at least 29 large trees had been chopped down in the easement and that stones had been deposited in a nearby stream. They also said that the family had been warned twice in earlier years against felling trees in the easement. The trees were allegedly cut in order to improve the family's view of the river and enhance the reception of the family's satellite dish. The U.S. attorney is seeking $350,000 in reforestation costs and $650,000 in punitive damages. The action comes less than two years after one of the family's neighbors, I.F., was convicted of destroying more than 100 trees in the park to improve his view. I.F. was ordered to serve 15 days in a halfway house and was fined $20,000 in federal court. The action against the family is in civil rather than criminal court because the damage was determined to be less severe than in the I.F. case and because the U.S. attorney judged that there was no criminal intent. [Washington Post news story, 3/19]
In July of 1989, Park Police detectives began an investigation into a rape which occurred in the park. A suspect was identified who had a prior conviction for rape, but had been released on parole several months earlier. The victim of that rape had been beaten badly with a railroad spike. The suspect was located and questioned, and information placing him at the scene of the assault was obtained. He was arrested and tried in superior court in the District of Columbia in January. The suspect was found guilty and was sentenced to six years in prison (the balance of his prior sentence) and to two life sentences. All sentences are to run consecutively. [Report from Maj. Jack Schamp, LES, RAD/WASO, 4/22]
Ranger Sean McCabe was having dinner at a pizza place in Potomac on the night of May 31st when he saw a man grab a purse from a woman eating dinner with her young daughter and run out the door of the restaurant. McCabe pursued the man, later identified as T.E.S., and was soon joined by two other men who'd witnessed the theft. T.E.S. allegedly pulled a knife on his three pursuers, but McCabe persuaded him to drop the weapon, then subdued him and retrieved the woman's wallet. McCabe sat on T.E.S. until local police officers arrived. T.E.S. was charged with misdemeanor theft. [News report, Potomac Almanac]
On the afternoon of the 15th, kayaker R.D., 17, of Germantown, Maryland, was running a narrow chute on the Potomac River near Judy's Rock when his kayak got caught and became pinned against the rock. R.D.'s two companions were unable to extricate him from his kayak, but were able to hold him upright. Shortly thereafter, ranger Robert Leaver, who was on foot patrol on the shore, came upon the trio and quickly summoned assistance. Ranger Jim Bell responded with a climbing team to set up an anchor above the kayak in case it proved necessary, rangers Chris Lea and Brian Willbond headed to the scene in a canoe, and rangers Mike Larson and Tom Nash came down river in the park's Zodiac. A US Park Police helicopter also flew to the scene, and Sgt. Ilmar Pagel joined the rescue effort. After Lea and Nash stabilized the kayak and attached a stern rope to it, Willbond, Pagel and Leaver pulled on the rope and Lea pushed on the bow until R.D. and the boat were freed. R.D. was uninjured. [Telefax from Tom Nash, CHOH, 6/20]
On the afternoon of November 30th, ranger Tom Nash saw five men dressed in hunting clothes - three of them carrying shotguns - walking along the towpath near Milepost 38. When they saw Nash approach in his patrol vehicle, they began to run. Backup units were requested and a foot chase began. Nash was able to apprehend three of the five men, including two with weapons. R.A. and J.W. were handcuffed, but T.A. was combative. When Nash attempted to arrest T.A. with the aid of a Maryland Department of Natural Resources officer, T.A. assaulted Nash with hands, elbows and feet. T.A. was subdued and handcuffed after a brief struggle. A records check revealed that T.A. was a convicted felon and that he had a long criminal record for assaulting police officers. He was charged with assaulting an officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm. R.A., who was wanted by local police on a theft charge, was charged with possession of a weapon and with fleeing and eluding an officer. J.W. was charged with fleeing and eluding. [Telefax from Tom Nash, CHOH, 12/11]
N.A., 19, of Bethesda, Maryland, was swept down the Potomac River on the afternoon of May 20th when he attempted to swim 200 feet across the river to Hermit Island. His companion, J.F., was reportedly assisted by a fisherman in an unsuccessful effort to rescue Anthan. When this failed, J.F. went for help. A search was begun shortly thereafter by rangers, Park Police and local fire department personnel, but it proved fruitless. The search was to be continued by state and park personnel yesterday. [Telefax from Keith Whisenant, CHOH, 5/21]
On May 20th, N.A., 19, of Bethesda, Maryland, disappeared in the Potomac River after he attempted to swim 200 feet across the river to Hermit Island. Rangers recovered his body from the river on May 23rd. Later that same day, rangers and local and state officers also rescued three people who became stranded on Dam #3 in the Potomac River after a boating accident near the dam. [Telefax from Tom Nash, CR, CHOH, 5/26]
On the afternoon of May 25th, F.S., 19, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was standing on a large rock on the shoreline near the Offutt Island Chute rapids fishing with a weighted throw net when he slipped and fell into the river. Other members of his group saw him in the river yelling for help and attempting to swim toward some rocks, then saw him go under about 20 feet past the rocks. Rangers received a report of the incident about a half hour later and joined Park Police and local officers in a search of the river. Dragging operations were conducted in the river channel just below the chute without success. The search for F.S. continues. [Telefax from Tom Nash, CR, CHOH, 5/26]
Rangers received a radio report from a local county fire and rescue duty officer that their units were responding to an incident in which a person had fallen at Swain's Lock and received a head injury. Upon arrival, rangers found medics treating V.S., 76, for a fractured skull and internal bleeding into the brain. She was unresponsive but breathing on her own and was taken to a local hospital. Early the following morning, V.S. died of her injuries. According to investigators, V.S. fell down the front stairs to the lockhouse and struck her head on the concrete sidewalk. Virginia Swain was the mother of concessioner F.S. The S. family has been associated with the canal since its construction in the 1830s. Members of the family help build the canal and served as lock tenders at both S.'s Lock and Seven Locks. They currently live in the lockhouse and operate a canoe concession facility. [Tom Nash, CHOH, 6/17]
On the afternoon of June 16th, G.M., 22, T.G., 24, and T.Y., 22, decided to attempt to swim, wade and rock hop across the Potomac River to the Maryland shore just above Great Falls. The three made it across a fairly shallow section of the river, but became stranded on a rock in the river's main channel, where the water was moving very swiftly. They then decided to form a chain and attempt to wade and swim to the Virginia shoreline. G.M. and T.G. entered the river and were immediately swept downstream by the strong currents; T.Y. was able to hold onto the rock and pull himself back on it. T.G. reached a rock about 100 yards downstream and held onto it, but G.M. was swept another 50 yards further down the river before he was able to grab a wet rock - the last remaining rock before the Maryland falls. The latter events were witnessed by a ranger in Great Falls Park, who advised C&O Canal rangers, who then responded along with local fire and rescue units and a Park Police helicopter. Two boats were positioned at the base of the falls in case anyone went over. A rescue net and winch were employed to raise the three men from the rocks to the helicopter. They were then taken to shore and treated on scene for hypothermia. Each was then issued a citation for entering the river. The men said that they hadn't seen any of the danger signs warning about river hazards. No alcohol or drugs were involved. [Tom Nash, CHOH, 6/16]
On March 19, 1991, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Baltimore filed a $1 million civil complaint against L., J. and M.G. for cutting down two dozen large trees in March of 1988 in volation of an agreement which they had made with the park. Criminal charges were also filed. On June 23rd, J.G. pled guilty to one count of destruction of trees on public land, and faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine when sentenced in September. Although the trees were on property owned by G.'s family, they were protected under a 1978 agreement under which the NPS paid the family $88,341 to preserve the trees to protect the adjacent park. Evidence showed that G. ordered 20 to 30 trees cut on the land in 1983 and 1984. He cut another 20 trees in 1986 and was warned against doing so again. In 1988, prosecutors said G. ordered a third cut. The G.s allegedly cut the trees to improve their view of the river and reception for their satellite dish. The lawsuit, which is still pending, demands that the G.s reforest the property. [Associated Press, 6/23]
On the evening of July 2nd, rangers received a report that a climber had fallen 30 feet at the cliffs near Lock 19 and responded along with local fire and rescue units. They found that M.M., 17, had fallen when some vegetation he grabbed while free climbing had given way. M.M. suffered from head injuries; he was taken to a local hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Late on the following morning, a report came in of a capsized canoe in the Tavern Channel just above the Class V rapids at the Fishladders. The two canoeists, both novices, were swept down by the strong current to a small rocky outcropping in the middle of the fishladders channel. They were uninjured but were stranded on the outcropping. Rescue ropes were set up between the shoreline and the outcropping; ranger Clarke then attached himself to the ropes, swam across the swift water to the victims, and assisted each of them back to the main shoreline. The subjects were disorderly after the rescue and were issued violation notices. The third and final rescue of the weekend occurred after 9:00 p.m. on July 5th. L.P., 20, had fallen 40 feet while free climbing a rock face on the southern end of Rocky Island and was knocked unconscious. Ranger Nash, with the assistance of the Park Police's Eagle helicopter, located L.P. within ten minutes of the initial report and provided EMS care for a laceration, fractured femur and shock. County fire and rescue boats and personnel soon arrived on scene. L.P. was immobilized, placed in a litter, carried over rugged terrain to the boat, then taken by helicopter to Suburban Hospital. She is currently in stable condition. Severe thunderstorms, darkness and the rough topography all complicated the rescue effort. [Tom Nash, Palisades DR, CHOH, 7/7]
An apparently homeless man of about 40 years of age fell into the canal at Lock Four on the afternoon of July 13th. A witness reported that he attempted to tread water but was unable to stay afloat. A Metro police diving unit and Metro fire and rescue responded and recovered the victim. He was rushed to George Washington Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. [Capt. Marvin Ellison, RAD/NCRO, 7/14]
Park maintenance employee Akiva Gordon was assaulted on September 18th while working on the towpath in the vicinity of the Alexandria Aqueduct in Georgetown in the District of Columbia. Two men in their late teens or early twenties, one of whom was wearing a black t-shirt with "Skinheads Live" printed on the front, knocked Gordon to the ground, punched him about the face and chest, removed his belt, wrapped it around his neck, dragged him along the ground, and beat him on his back with the belt. The two then fled the area. Although Gordon reported that he did not see any weapon, he received scratches on his face from some type of implement. Just prior to the attack, Gordon had come upon spray paint cans, a paint roller, and freshly painted graffiti saying "DC Skins" at Key Bridge. Gordon was discharged from a local hospital with no serious injuries. An investigation is underway. [Steve Pittleman, CHOH, 9/22]
Park visitor R.S. was sitting in his vehicle at Violette's Lock at 11 p.m. on September 20th when he was approached by two men. One of the men told R.S. that he had something to show him. R.S. walked over to the subject's vehicle, at which time one of the two men pulled a hunting knife from under the front seat of the vehicle and demanded Schantz's money and vehicle keys. R.S. complied. The two men threw him to the ground, punched him in the face, then fled in a late 70s model Dodge van. R.S. reported the incident the next morning to rangers and Park Police. [Tom Nash, DR, CHOH, 9/22]
Sometime between mid-morning and late afternoon on September 26th, four vehicles were broken into in three areas in the Monocacy Subdistrict. The side door locks on two of the vehicles were pried out; one of the remaining two vehicles was unlocked. Numerous items were taken, including a stereo system. A search was begun for a vehicle seen in the area of one of the break-ins, and was found parked outside the park not far away. A license plate check revealed that it had been reported stolen by West Virginia state police. A search for three male juveniles seen in the area by C&O Canal and Harpers Ferry rangers proved fruitless. The vehicle was impounded by the county. An joint investigation is underway. [Keith Whisenant, CR, CHOH, 9/29]
Late Tuesday morning, the park received a call for assistance in searching for missing crew members following the crash of a West Virginia Air National Guard C-130 transport plane just across the Potomac River from Hancock, Maryland, and the park. Early reports were that three of the six crewmen had been killed and that the remaining three were missing. Although the bodies of all six crew members were subsequently located, three park employees remained on scene to assist in the emergency response; another ten employees - five from C&O, four from Harpers Ferry and one from Antietam - are on standby to assist if needed. [Gordon Gay, Acting CR, CHOH, 10/7]
On November 3rd, a ranger spotted a pickup truck parked at Edward's Ferry, an area known for illegal hunting activity, and subsequently contacted a man who emerged from the woods and headed for the truck. The man, who didn't have a weapon, was contacted and released. The ranger then checked the wooded area and found two men dressed in camouflage attempting to hide under a fallen tree. Both were contacted and admitted to hunting in the park. They led the ranger back to their tree stands, where compound bows and arrows were found and seized. A second ranger arriving on scene came upon the first man contacted, who was returning to the lot to pick up his friends. He also admitted to hunting in the park, and rangers seized a compound bow and arrows from another tree stand in the park. [Tom Nash, DR, CHOH, 11/11]
For the second year in a row, park rangers and Park Police officers have joined together in a cooperative hunting enforcement operation that has led to a number of weapons and poaching arrests. During the operation, two-person units, each comprised of a ranger and an officer, patrolled sections of the park. Among the incidents the teams were involved in were the following, all of which took place on park land: * November 26th: - Observed two men walking on the canal towpath with shotguns and a compound bow near Milepost 24. All weapons were seized and their owners cited. * November 27th: - While on duck hunting patrol on the Potomac River, apprehended two men who had set up a duck blind on park land and were hunting from that location. Weapons were seized and the men were cited for illegal hunting and possession of weapons. * November 28th: - Contacted a person on the canal towpath near Sycamore Landing, cited him
for possession of a loaded shotgun, and seized the weapon. * November 30th: - Again contacted a man coming out of the woods near Edward's Ferry with a loaded shotgun. It was seized and he was cited for possession of a loaded weapon. [Tom Nash, DR, CHOH, 12/7]
On December 29th, ranger John Bailey and Maryland State Police responded to a report of a vehicle accident and fire on Canal Road. Upon arrival, Bailey discovered that a 1991 Dodge Dakota had been totally destroyed by fire. Responding fire department personnel subsequently conducted a search of the surrounding area in an attempt to locate the driver, but were unsuccessful. The ranger and trooper on scene determined that the vehicle had been set on fire, then pushed off the road into the canal. A computer check was run on the West Virginia tag, and the owner's residence was called. He was eventually contacted at a basketball game in a town just across the river from the site of the incident. The owner advised that he had left the truck parked in a college lot with the doors unlocked, but that he had taken the keys with him. The Maryland state fire marshall's office and West Virginia state police were contacted and responded. Investigators determined that some kind of chemical agent - probably gasoline - was poured on the front seat of the truck and ignited. The investigation continues. [Keith Whisenant, CR, CHOH, 1/5]
Heavy rain and high winds struck the Potomac River Basin late last week; the resulting runoff, augmented by melting snow, led to the issuance of a flood warning for the river and its tributaries. The park activated its flood emergency plan on March 5th and began closing most of the park at access points along the river in anticipation of rising water. Great Falls Tavern was sandbagged, and the new bridges and boardwalk to Olmstead Island were closed. On March 6th, the Potomac crested at 12.34 feet at Little Falls (2.34 feet above flood stage), and at 24.9 feet at Point of Rocks (8.9 feet above flood stage). The high water and warm weather brought thousands of visitors out to the park and resulted in numerous incidents involving unsafe visitor activities, closure violations, and traffic congestion. Park rangers and maintenance employees are currently assessing the damage inflicted on the park. Initial reports indicate that numerous locations along the tow path have been breached, scoured and/or washed away. [Kevin FitzGerald, CR, CHOH, 3/8]
Numerous sections of the park remain closed as a result of the flooding which occurred over the past weekend. Based on the damage assessments completed by park maintenance and ranger staff, the park estimates that damage and cleanup costs will be in the vicinity of $400,000. This sum includes the cost to restore the tow path, remove mud and trees, and pay overtime recorded during the incident. [Kevin FitzGerald, ACR, CHOH, 3/10]
As of yesterday morning, the oil from Sunday's 350,000-gallon spill had flowed down the Potomac as far south as Alexandria, Virginia. The largest oil slick - about 100 yards long by 300 yards wide - was reported in the vicinity of Theodore Roosevelt Island, which is administered by George Washington Memorial Parkway. A light sheen of oil was also reported inside the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial; booms have been in place at the basin inlet since early afternoon on the 29th. Staffs from the parkway, C&O Canal and National Capital Parks are taking part in site evaluations along the river's shorelines and are searching for wildlife affected by the spill. Reports have been received of dead fish along the shoreline south of the District of Columbia, but none have been confirmed. A contract wildlife rehabilitator has been brought in; Sharon Taylor, an NPS veterinarian, is on scene and working with them. [John Howard, NCRO, 3/30]
As of yesterday afternoon, the oil sheen from last Sunday's spill into the Potomac River extended 55 miles south from Sugarland Run, where the fuel entered the river. Oil has spread over vegetation, wetlands and wildlife all along the Virginia, Maryland and District of Columbia shorelines, including George Washington Memorial Parkway, Great Falls, C&O Canal, and National Capital Parks. No closures are currently reported in any of these areas. Colonial Pipeline contractors have begun initial cleanup of areas within Great Falls and the parkway. Park resource management staffs are presently conducting the pre-assessment phase of the overall natural resource damage assessment process. [John Howard, NCRO, 4/1]
The park was closed from the Monocacy River to Cumberland on Saturday due to flooding conditions. No further details are currently available. [Dispatch, CHOH, 4/17]
The park has reopened following another weekend of flooding caused by heavy rainfall on already saturated soils in the Potomac and Shenandoah River basins. The most extensive damage occurred in the upper portions of the park, primarily in the Paw Paw Subdistrict. A dike/culvert located in the canal was mechanically lowered late Saturday night to prevent flooding to homes in the Mexico Farms subdivision near Cumberland, Maryland. Damage to the tow path and canal is estimated at nearly $250,000, which includes the cost of clearing mud and debris from boat ramps, aqueducts and parking areas and filling and grading washed-out portions of the tow path. The Potomac crested at almost six feet above flood stage at Paw Paw on Saturday afternoon. Further flooding is anticipated today, as additional heavy rainfall is forecast for the area. [Kevin FitzGerald, ACR, CHOH, 4/20]
Shortly after 6 a.m. on June 20th, a 46-year-old woman from Germantown, Maryland, parked her car near Chain Bridge and went walking on the canal towpath toward Georgetown. When she was just south of Arizona Avenue, she was confronted by a 25- to 35-year-old male who blocked her path and forced her into the woods along the canal. The man then threatened to kill her and sexually assaulted her. The suspect was last seen leaving the area along the canal towards Chain Bridge. Park Police units searched the area by foot, car and helicopter, but were unable to find the man. The victim was taken to Georgetown Hospital, where she was treated and released. The case is being investigated by the criminal investigations branch. [Lt. John Harasek, USPP, 6/20]
Just before 6 p.m. on June 28th, a 33-year-old man was arrested and charged with the sexual assault which occurred in the area of the park's towpath south of Arizona Avenue on June 20th. An arrest warrant had earlier been issued which was based on information compiled by Park Police criminal investigators and officers assigned to the case. The warrant was executed when the suspect was located around 27th Street and Connecticut Avenue. [Lt. John Damadio, USPP, 6/29]
On June 26th, ranger John Bailey was on patrol along the tow path in area of Williamsport, Maryland, when he detected an unusual odor coming from an area between the tow path and the Potomac River. A search of the area led to the discovery of a total of 99 marijuana plants growing in a 150-foot radius. The plants averaged 18 to 24 inches in height; they did not appear to have been cultivated, and no evidence of cultivation was detected. The plants were pulled, weighed (21 pounds), and burned at the Antietam Creek ranger station. Total valuation was placed at about $21,000. Bailey located another 138 marijuana seedlings growing wild in the Charles Mill area near the river the next day. Once again, no evidence of cultivation could be found. The plants were pulled, weighed (14.8 grams) and burned. Value was placed at $1,000. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH, 7/2]
On July 14th, rangers were contacted by personnel from the Maryland state police aviation unit and advised that two marijuana plots had been found within the park boundaries in the vicinity of Noland's Ferry. Rangers Bill Orlando and Tom Nash met with state police officers in Frederick the following day to gain additional information and were then able to locate both plots. The first contained a total of 48 plants between one and two feet tall. Although the plot was surrounded with wire fencing, the plants did not appear to have been tended for some time, as they were drying out from lack of water and record high temperatures. The second contained 66 plants from six to seven feet tall and had evidence of recent cultivation. The tops of all of the plants had recently been cut. All plants in both plots were removed and burned at the Antietam Creek ranger station. The estimated value was placed at $228,000, which brings the total number of plants eradicated over the past three weeks to 351 and the total valuation to $250,000. [Kevin FitzGerald, ACR, CHOH, 7/19]
On the afternoon of August 22nd, ranger George DeLancey was on patrol in the McCoy's Ferry campground when he observed two men - K.C., 33, and K.B., 26, both of Hagerstown, Maryland - fighting at a campsite. As DeLancey approached, the two separated; K.B. then walked to a pickup truck and picked up a crescent wrench while K.C. reached down and picked up a hand axe. DeLancey radioed for backup, entered the campsite, and ordered both men to drop their weapons. Both refused. As K.C. began walking toward DeLancey, DeLancey drew his service weapon, pointed it at K.C., and ordered him to drop his axe. K.C. did so. As DeLancey turned in K.B.'s direction, K.B. dropped his weapon. DeLancey then separated the two men with the assistance of K.C.'s brother. Upon investigation, DeLancey learned that K.B. had come to the camp site with a female companion to visit K.C. K.B., who had been drinking, became hostile towards K.C. and attempted to choke him with a wire around his neck. K.C. was able to get his hands between his neck and the wire and pushed K.B. away. K.B. was taken into custody, held overnight at a local detention center, then taken to federal court in Baltimore. K.C. was released on his own recognizance. K.B. is to appear in court on September 10th. [Keith Whisenant, CHOH, 8/23]
Several citizens heard a shot fired at the Carderock picnic area late on the morning of April 11th. One who investigated found an elderly man slumped over the bench of a picnic table. An NPS employee reported the incident, and Park Police officers responded. They found the victim and a revolver under the table. The death has been ruled a probable suicide. [Lt. Richard Munsky, USPP, 4/12]
On the evening of Sunday, June 5th, a park ranger on patrol in the Point of Rocks area encountered L.B., 46, on the canal crossover bridge. L.B. was under the influence and had narrowly escaped being run over by a passing vehicle moments earlier while passed out on the bridge. The ranger recognized L.B. from an encounter two nights earlier at the same location, at which time he'd escorted L.B. off park property. As before, L.B. was acting erratically, appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and/or narcotics, was uncooperative, and made references to his military hand-to- hand combat experience. When the ranger advised L.B. that he was going to be cited, L.B. began to verbally threaten him, then prepared to strike him. The ranger displayed his OC pepper spray and ordered L.B. to stop advancing four times; when L.B. continued to advance, the ranger sprayed and subdued him, placed him under arrest, took him to a local hospital for treatment, then had him incarcerated under a $1,500 bond. L.B., who has an extensive criminal history, including disorderly conduct and narcotics convictions, was so familiar at the detention center that he was on a first name basis with the guards. The trail date is June 17th. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH, 6/7]
While on foot patrol on the Potomac River shoreline, ranger Jim Brown came upon a man lying out in the sun dressed entirely in black. Because the heat index at the time was over 100 degrees, Brown decided to check on him, and found that he was semi-conscious and unresponsive. He called for assistance and immediately began emergency treatment. While searching for a medic alert tag, Brown discovered a small pouch containing a .38 caliber five shot revolver lying partially under the victim. The victim was placed on oxygen and an IV, but his condition did not improve. He was medevaced to a local hospital by Eagle One, the Park Police helicopter, where it was discovered that he'd ingested approximately 200 tablets of Xanax, a barbiturate, in an attempt to commit suicide. The victim is expected to fully recover. Without Brown's intervention, he would not have survived. [Steve Pittleman, CHOH, 6/13]
On March 17th, B.B., 37, and C.B., 42, entered guilty please for ARPA violations before a federal magistrate. They were fined a total of $200, placed on a year's unsupervised probation, ordered to pay $1,400 in restitution to the NPS, and ordered to forfeit equipment used to discover the Civil War artifacts found in their possession when arrested by rangers in November of 1993. The investigation of this case, conducted by ranger Mike Sabitini, led to the discovery of more than two dozen freshly excavated holes in former Union Army fortifications on park land. [Kevin Fitzgerald, ACR, CHOH, 3/20]
On April 21st, D.L., 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty to charges of trespassing in a motor vehicle, destruction of property, and possession of stolen material in magistrate's court and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The charges stemmed from a vehicle break-in at McMahon's Mill last October 8th in which rangers set up a bait vehicle in response to several car clouts at that location. D.S., 21, also of Hagerstown, pled guilty to possession of stolen property last fall; he was fined $1,000 and sentenced to two years' supervised probation. D.S., who lived with D.L., committed suicide a month later. [Kevin Fitzgerald, CR, CHOH, 4/24]
Early on the morning of May 1st, a jogger found the body of a man near Lock Eight on the canal. The victim had apparently taken his own life by hanging himself from a tree. Park Police officers are investigating. [Bill Lynch, NCRO, 5/2]
On July 2nd, rangers arrested L.P. of Martinsburg, West Virginia, after a ranger conducting surveillance of a parking area at Lock 34 saw him enter a locked vehicle and remove a woman's purse. L.P. had been the focus of an extensive investigation involving rangers and authorities from West Virginia and Maryland. The park alone has logged over 50 car clouts so far this year. Rangers conducted weekend surveillance of target parking areas over a two-month period, during which time information was gained that narrowed the focus on L.P. A search of L.P.'s vehicle led to the recovery of additional stolen property. Victims from two car clouts stopped to report the crimes while the vehicle search was in progress and discovered their property among the recovered items. L.P. was charged with theft under 18 USC 661 and with tampering and misappropriation of property under 36 CFR; he also faces drug possession and additional car clouting charges in Maryland. L.P. pled guilty to the theft charge under a plea agreement and was sentenced to six months in jail pending a pre-sentencing investigation. Further investigation on property recovered could lead to additional state or federal charges. [CRO, CHOH]
A visitor found the body of R.G., 36, of Point of Rocks, Maryland, along the shore of the Potomac River on the afternoon of July 28th. Investigators determined that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. R.G. had recently been diagnosed with cancer. [Kevin FitzGerald, CR, CHOH]
Ranger John Bailey was conducting a surveillance operation in the Charles Mill area around 11 p.m. on August 26th when a vehicle with two occupants entered the parking lot. The passenger, E.M., 35, began examining the two vehicles in the lot, then entered one through an unlocked door. E.M. was soon joined by the driver, who has not yet been firmly identified. After they'd taken several items, Bailey approached and attempted to apprehend them. The driver picked up a large rock, held it over his head, and began approaching the ranger, telling E.M. to "make him shoot us." E.M. instead fled on foot; the driver then returned to his vehicle, shifted it into reverse, and attempted to run Bailey down or pin him between the other parked vehicles. As Bailey drew his weapon, he was struck on the hand by the vehicle's open door, which knocked the gun to the ground. The driver then left the area. Back-up units from the park, county and state soon arrived along with a canine unit. E.M. was located running down the tow path about a mile from the scene and was quickly subdued by the dog. He's being held on $10,000 cash bond and faces larceny, tampering, resisting arrest, and other charges. E.M. has an extensive criminal history and was out of prison on parole when the incident occurred. The driver, believed to be T.R., 32, is still at large, and is also being sought by Maryland state police for a theft that occurred adjacent to the park on the previous evening. [Kevin FitzGerald, CR, CHOH]
On October 16th, R.P. of Leesburg, Virginia, plead guilty in Frederick County circuit court to one count of felony theft stemming from an investigation into theft and illegal logging in the park. R.P. was sentenced to four years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended; the sentence is to run consecutively to one he is currently serving in Virginia which will expire in the spring of 1997. The plea agreement and conviction followed a lengthy joint investigation by park personnel, FBI agents and county investigators into the theft of farm equipment from private lands and the logging and sale of pawlownia trees from the Point of Rocks area of the park last year. Pawlownia wood is in high demand on the Asian market for use in high quality furniture. Rangers John Bailey and Kevin FitzGerald and natural resource management specialists Dianne Ingram and Bill Spinrad solidified the case with the FBI through the use of GPS equipment to locate and map the 25 plus tree stumps in an area where the elimination of adjacent privately owned property was critical in making the case. [CRO, CHOH]
T.R., 32, who was wanted for the August 26th assault on ranger John Bailey during a car clouting incident, was arrested two weeks ago on unrelated burglary charges by state and county officers. T.R. was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury for the assault on Bailey. On November 30th, T.R. attempted to hang himself in his cell in the Washington County detention center while awaiting trial in both cases against him. He is currently in the hospital and in critical condition. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH]
The heavy rains which fell throughout the Mid-Atlantic regions and New England on Friday, January 19th, coupled with the melting of several feet of snow throughout the area, caused severe flooding in several parks. The following reports - some preliminary and by phone - were received as of this morning; more are expected later today: * C&O Canal - Flooding caused by the Potomac River closed the park on Saturday. The river in all sections of the park exceeded flood stage by eight to 20 feet. The visitor center at Williamsport was evacuated before it was flooded. The visitor center at Great Falls Tavern, the resource management office at Seneca, and the historic Abner Cloud House were sandbagged in an effort to divert rising flood waters. A full damage assessment can not yet be made because most areas of the park can't yet be reached, but damage is expected to be heavy. Over 90% of the park is flooded; most historic structures have been flooded, most cabins and trailers belonging to park retentions along the river have been heavily damaged, and major scouring and erosion of the towpath are expected. Flood levels rival those of the disastrous floods of 1972 and 1985, when the park had to remain closed for months due to heavy damage. [CR, CHOH; Einar Olsen, RAD/NCFO; Bill Halainen, IO, Wet and Wild Incident, DEWA]
Additional reports have been received regarding the impacts of last week's floods: * C&O Canal, Harpers Ferry, Great Falls - On January 26th, Secretary Babbitt visited the three park areas to examine flood damage to grounds and facilities. The full-day visit consisted of both on-ground inspections and aerial overflights. Damage assessment teams and cleanup crews continue their work in these and other areas within National Capital Field Area. C&O Canal is closed; portions of the park will remain closed for months, while other areas will open in the near future. Portions of other parks are also closed. Preliminary damage assessments from these areas indicate that restoration costs will run into the millions of dollars. An SSO task force is assisting the parks with their efforts. Media coverage has been extensive. [Einar Olsen, CR, RAD/NCFA; Bill Halainen, DEWA]
Park Police officers arrested J.R. of Arlington, Virginia, on January 25th for the burglary of a construction trailer at Fletcher's boat house. J.R. was found on an adjacent street; in his possession were tools and other items missing from the trailer. Officers retraced his path from the site and located several bags containing additional items which had been taken from the trailer and stashed for later retrieval. J.R. was charged with felony burglary, felony theft and destruction of property. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCFO]
On the morning of March 11th, Park Police officers responded to a report of a piece of military ordnance at the Anglers Inn. The item was found to be a Korean War era 2.75 inch anti-tank rocket warhead. The area was evacuated and Army bomb disposal units were summoned. The device was destroyed at the scene and the area was reopened at 5 p.m. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCFAO]
For many years, the Army Corps of Engineers operators of the district's water supply facility at Dalecarlia have periodically discharged heavily chlorinated water into Battery Kemble Run, a tributary of the Potomac River, as part of the facility's cleaning operation. These discharges, which were in violation of the Clean Water Act (33 USC 1311), killed all aquatic life in the stream and created strong odors which resulted in numerous complaints from park neighbors and visitors to Fletcher's Boathouse, a park concession facility. A joint investigation was launched by the Park Police, the SSO's Ranger Services office and EPA's Criminal Investigation Division. Shortly after it was begun, Corps managers determined that it was in their best interest to eliminate the illegal discharge to preclude prosectuion. No further enforcement action is contemplated. The Dalecarlia facility has been the subject of numerous complaints and inspections by EPA, and the Corps is now attempting to turn over the facility to local officials. [Einar Olsen, CR, RSD/SSO, NCFA]
The body of an unidentified man was found in the canal just north of Chain Bridge on the morning of April 9th. Investigation into the cause of death continues. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCFDO]
Secretary Babbitt spent four days in the park last week, hiking 61 miles of the towpath from Harpers Ferry to Georgetown in the District of Columbia. He decided to make the trek following January's flood, which caused an estimated $20 million in damage to the park, and patterned it on a 1954 hike by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, who made his hike to convince skeptics to save the canal and towpath from obliteration. The hike began with a rally on April 17th which was hosted by Harpers Ferry NHP, and concluded with hundreds of participants from NPCA's annual "March for Parks" accompanying Secretary Babbitt on the final three miles into Georgetown for a noontime rally. Babbitt was accompanied by park staff throughout the hike, and was joined at various times by local, regional and national media, members of Congress, local community leaders, school groups, volunteer organizations, outdoor advocacy groups, and area residents. The event received extensive media coverage. [Kevin Fitzgerald, CHOH]
On April 22nd, President Clinton and Vice President Gore visited the Great Falls area of the park for two hours as part of their annual Earth Day activities. They walked out on to Olmstead Island, where they met with members of the Montgomery County Youth Corps who are assisting with cleanup and repair efforts stemming from last January's flood. They worked briefly with the group clearing debris, then went to the falls overlook, where President Clinton gave his Earth Day speech to an audience of about 200 invited guests (including numerous VIPs), 150 school children and park staff. The event received extensive local and national media coverage. [Kevin Fitzgerald, CHOH]
On May 15th, the park received a call from a visitor whose car had been broken into that day at the Monocacy River boat ramp. The victim was able to provide descriptions and the license plates of the two vehicles seen leaving the area. Rangers Jim Brown and Mike Sabatini drove to the Damascus, Maryland, address of the registered owner of one of the vehicles the next day and discovered the car they were seeking, which was occupied at the time by Ginger Staub, 20, and a juvenile male. The pair admitted to participation in the car clout and provided information on two other individuals involved in the theft - R.W., 19, and R.T., 18, also of Damascus. Brown and Sabatini contacted R.W. around 10 that evening. R.W. had in his possession items which were taken in the car clout, including fishing rods, tackle, and cassette tapes. The method used to enter the vehicle - smashing windows with a pipe - matched that employed in two recent incidents in the park and others which had occurred recently on state and regional park lands. Rangers are cooperating with investigators from the other agencies to close as many of these cases as possible. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH]
Over the past three months, Park Police officer Eric Hafener has arrested 11 illegal aliens who were in possession of counterfeit INS resident alien cards and Social Security cards. Hafener encountered all 11 while patrolling the shoreline of the Potomac River, checking for fishing licenses and other resource violations. Those arrested have been charged under 18 USC. Two have pled guilty and await deportation procedures. INS is conducting a follow-up investigation. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCFDO]
On June 8th, R.I. and a female companion were seated on rocks adjacent to the Potomac River at Great Falls when R.I. stood up to leave, apparently lost his balance, and fell into the river. Rangers, Park Police officers, and local police and fire personnel conducted an extensive but fruitless search for him. His body was recovered from the river near Three Sisters Island three days later. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCFDO]
K.G., a 38-year-old homeless man, fell into the canal near 30th Street in the District on June 16th. Two city police officers pulled him from the water. Although he was barely conscious at the time, he later died. An autopsy is scheduled. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCFDO]
Reports on the impacts of Hurricane Fran have been received from a number of Eastern parks. Of particular note is the fact that the flooding along the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers has in most cases been as or more severe than that which occurred during January, making this the first year since the National Weather Service began keeping track early this century that areas along those rivers have been hit by two major floods. As of Sunday night, the Potomac was flowing past Little Falls in Maryland at more than 300,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) - 130 times the normal volume. When the Shenandoah River crested on Saturday, it had a flow rate of 153,000 cfs, or more than 200 times its typical rate. o C&O Canal - The park completed all preparations for the hurricane and for the flooding forecast for the Potomac River by Friday. All 36 hiker/biker campsites were evacuated and closed; the drive in campgrounds at Spring Gap, Fifteenmile Creek, McCoys Ferry and Antietam Creek were evacuated and closed; the Williamsport visitor center at Cushwa Basin was evacuated and closed; and equipment and materials were staged in anticipation of the need to sandbag the Great Falls Tavern, clear debris, remove downed trees, and undertake related recovery actions. The Shenandoah River, which joins the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry, crested at 20 feet over flood stage Saturday night, and the waters of the Potomac rose with equal rapidity. The entire park was officially closed at noon on Saturday, and park staff began sandbagging Great Falls Tavern and barricading access points. The Potomac crested along much of the park's length on Sunday; although waters have not yet full receded, it's clear that much of the extensive repair work from last January's flood - including 15,000 hours of labor rendered by 3,500 volunteers - has been washed away. Sandbags around the tavern held, however, and the building has apparently been spared from any serious damage. [Greg Styles, IC, SHEN; Kevin Fitzgerald, CHOH; Gary Pollock, GWMP; Sandy Ailey, PIO, NCFA; Jim Fox, BLRI; Bob Woody, CI&VS, CAHA; Newt Sikes, CUIS; John Breen, FOPU; Andrew Loveless, Superintendent, KIMO; John Tucker, Superintendent, FOSU; Chuck Harris, CR, CALO; Mike Johnson, CR, FRSP; Washington Post]
Damage reports are beginning to filter in as flood waters recede and park staffs gain access to their areas: o C&O Canal - Efforts are currently underway to determine which areas can be safely opened to the public as the flood waters subside. Several incidents of closure violations were reported. Additional erosion has been observed in those areas that were flooded in January. Heavy accumulations of debris have been noted on and behind aqueducts. A comprehensive damage assessment will be conducted as the flood waters recede and sections of the canal become visible. Great Falls Tavern and concession operated facilities will be closed until further notice. [Mark Hardgrove, SAJU; Mark Woods, VIIS]
Additional reports have been received regarding on-going hurricane and flood recovery efforts: o C&O Canal - The park's staff continues to work extended shifts in an effort to determine the extent of the damage inflicted on the area and to reopen portions of the park for use this coming weekend. Crews are once again discovering heavy siltation, debris and trees along the towpath and in parking lots, access points, campgrounds and boat ramps. The visitor center at Williamsport was flooded with two feet of water, compared to five feet received in January. A large section of stone wall in Georgetown collapsed during the heavy rains and has closed a portion of the towpath in that area indefinitely. There was far less loss of property than in January due to work undertaken by park staff and volunteers before the river rose and to better working conditions (the January effort was hampered by snow and ice and by the government shutdown then in effect). The park's four campgrounds and 36 hiker/biker campsites will likely remain closed through next spring. Heavy rains are forecast for today, which will help the clean-up effort by washing away some of the accumulated silt, but may also cause additional flash flooding. Although it appears that much of the work completed by park staff and over 4,000 volunteers on 218 separate projects since January may have been lost, only a fraction of the $24 million appropriated by Congress and donated by individuals and corporations has actually been expended to date. [Greg Stiles, SHEN; Ann Childress, CVS, FOSU Group; Don Boucher, FMO, NCSO; Kevin FitzGerald, DR, CHOH]
Approximately 90% of the park reopened to the public on Friday, September 13th, as a result of intensive efforts by the entire park staff. The standard for opening the towpath was lowered as a result of lessons learned during the January flood; only those areas which poses serious threats to life or property remain closed, pending additional short-term or long-term repairs. At present, the bridges and boardwalk on Olmsted Island and all park campgrounds and hiker/biker campsites remain closed. The contract to desilt the canal and repair the towpath from Georgetown to Lock 5 and from Lock 18 to Violette's Lock, the first major contract initiated to repair January's damage, began on schedule on September 5th, and was resumed following the brief delay caused by Hurricane Fran. The work should be completed by Christmas, which will permit the reopening of those two sections to canal boat operations by next spring. Detailed damage assessments are set to begin later this week. Repair and rehabilitation projects stemming from those assessments will be incorporated into the January flood recovery plan. [Kevin FitzGerald, CV&RP, CHOH]
Maintenance employee Nelson Griffith, 62, of Luray, Virginia, was fatally injured while removing trees from the canal's towpath near Lock Five on the morning of Sunday, October 6th. At the time of the accident, he was attempting to cut a large tree stump, which apparently broke free and fell on him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Nelson had worked for the NPS for 30 years. An investigation into the accident is underway. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCSO]
Maintenance employee Nelson Griffith, 62, died last Sunday morning while felling a tree along the towpath in the vicinity of Lock Five. Efforts were made to resuscitate him by rangers, maintenance employees and Park Police officers, but were unsuccessful. Nelson had worked on the canal since the park's establishment in 1971. The work that he was engaged in at the time of his death was directly related to park repair and restoration efforts following the two major floods that struck the park this year. He is survived by his wife, Shirley, and by three daughters and a son. Funeral arrangements are currently being made and will be passed along as soon as they are completed. The employee assistance program has been activated to assist both family members and park employees in dealing with his death. The park received valuable and timely assistance from staff at Shenandoah and Colonial in notifying and assisting family members until the superintendent and chief of maintenance at C&O could personally contact them. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH]
Funeral services for park maintenance employee Nelson Griffith will be held at 11 a.m. this morning at the Morning Star Lutheran Church near Luray, Virginia. Condolences may be sent to his wife, Shirley, and other family members at 9 Oakcrest Drive, Luray, VA 22835. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH]
Visitors found the body of M.P., 21, of Mount Airy, Maryland, along the Potomac River just south of Harpers Ferry on the afternoon of October 5th. M.P. apparently took his own life after a recent series of personal incidents involving work and family. Ranger John Bailey is leading the investigation and being assisted by Maryland state police. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH]
When ranger Jim Brown stopped at a gas station in Poolesville to refuel his patrol vehicle on October 30th, he saw some of the attendants moving around a small white sedan. Moments later, one of them told Brown that there was an unconscious man slumped over in the front seat of the car. Brown notified dispatch, then began CPR. County medics arrived and began administered advanced life support measures. The victim's pulse was restored prior to transport to a hospital. He is now in the hospital and in stable condition. [Tom Nash, DR, CHOH]
During the early morning hours of June 5th, the Park Police received a report that two people - W.P. and B.F. - were overdue from a canoeing trip on the Potomac River in the area of Swain's Lock. An extensive search of the area was begun in conjunction with local police and fire personnel. A USPP helicopter with night vision and infrared equipment located the pair stranded on a rock island in the rain-swollen Potomac River near Lock 24. They were lifted from the island by a basket descending from the helicopter, then flown to safety. [Bill Lynch, RLES, NCRO, 6/5]
On July 18th, a joint NPS, county and state narcotics operation led to the identification of four plots with about 250 plants growing in the area adjacent to the Potomac River west of Hancock, Maryland. The plants ranged in height from three to eight feet, and evidence at the scene indicated that they were being actively cultivated. Ranger George DeLancey installed a remote sensing video camera on the 19th, and the task force provided personnel for surveillance on the 21st. The decision to eradicate the plants was made the following day. A total of 254 plants with an estimated street value of over $300,000 were destroyed. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH, 7/23]
On July 18th, a fisherman on the Potomac River near Dam #3 found and reported what he believed to be a human skeleton lodged between some boulders just below the dam. Rangers and maintenance personnel responded and confirmed the find. The remains are believed to be those of a 60-year-old woman who has been missing since last December 31st and whose vehicle was found in the Mountain Lock parking area in early January. Maryland state troopers and the state medical examiner are continuing the investigation. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH, 7/23]
On August 27th, park maintenance employees A.J. and R.T. exchanged words during the morning hours. At the end of their tour, both men left the park and stopped just outside the entrance to the Great Falls area, where additional words were followed by A.J. reportedly assaulting R.T. with an ice pick before leaving the scene. R.T. was not seriously injured and was treated at the scene. Since the incident occurred off park property, Montgomery County police were called to investigate; they subsequently obtained a warrant for A.J., charging him with first degree assault. Rather than return to work on the 28th, A.J. advised the park that he would turn himself in after seeking legal council. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH, 8/28]
While on patrol in the Brunswick area of the park on the afternoon of March 15th, ranger Bill Orlando noticed a shovel with fresh dirt on it in the back of a truck in the boat ramp parking lot. Orlando contacted R.S., the owner of the truck, who was standing nearby, and asked whether he'd been engaged in any recent digging. R.S. said that he'd been digging for bottles and showed Orlando the location. Investigation revealed that he'd excavated four large pits and a small hole in the vicinity of an old dump within the park. Ranger Jim Brown and park archeologist Jill Halchin assisted with processing the crime scene, assessing the value of the items taken, and determining the restoration costs. Twenty-three bottles were seized from R.S.'s truck. Although he only admitted to having excavated one of the pits, plaster casts of his boot prints will be used to link him to the other four. R.S.'s collection included bottles that were over 70 years old, but he had missed a number of bottles that were over 100 years old. The commercial value of the bottles and the cost of restoration and repair of the site will likely exceed $500 and the felony ARPA threshold. The U.S. attorney's office in Baltimore has authorized the case and will proceed with prosecution under the provisions of ARPA. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH, 3/30]
Ranger George DeLancey received a report of a boating accident at Dam #5 on the Potomac River just after 6 p.m. on the evening of May 20th. DeLancey, who was not far away, arrived minutes later and learned from a visitor that two persons who were aboard a jet ski that had capsized had been swept over the dam, falling between 15 and 20 feet to the rocks below. DeLancey, with help from a fisherman, boated out into the river and located S.J., 30, of Frederick, Maryland, who was performing CPR on G.Y., 31, also of Frederick. G.Y. had suffered a deep laceration to his forehead. DeLancey continued CPR while transporting G.Y. to advanced life support units waiting on shore, but CPR was discontinued shortly thereafter at the direction of an emergency room physician. S.J. and G.Y. had launched from the Four Locks area and traveled over two miles downstream to the slackwater area behind the dam. S.J. was familiar with the hazard, as he'd boated in the area many times in the past. The jet ski apparently rolled as S.J. was attempting to turn and travel back upstream, dumping both men into the river. Maryland Division of Natural Resources police are leading the investigation, as they have primary jurisdiction over incidents on the river. The exact cause of death was still under investigation at the time of the report. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH, 5/21]
On Monday, June 15th, a special event was held in the park in conjunction with the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual announcement of the eleven most endangered historic places/resources in America. The event was held at the Monocacy Aqueduct, which was on the list. Attending were Hillary Rodham Clinton, Maryland senators Paul Sarbanes and Barbara Mikulski, trust executive director Richard Moe, NPS deputy director Jackie Lowey, and many other NPS, state and county officials. Mesa Verde NP and Chancellorsville Battlefield were the other NPS areas on this year's listing. Security and traffic control were coordinated by the park's protection staff and Secret Service, with assistance by personnel from Harpers Ferry NHP, Antietam NB, Monocacy NB, Appalachian NST, and NCR Ranger Activities. The History Channel will be airing a feature on the list at 10 p.m. on June 22nd. [Kevin FitzGerald, CHOH, 6/16]
On the evening of August 29th, two men swam across the Potomac River from the Maryland side to Great Falls, then tried to swim back. M.P., 19, failed to make it to shore. Witnesses said that they heard him yelling from the river. Park Police officers and county units searched for him for about four hours before terminating the effort at 12:30 a.m. On August 30th, a kayaker spotted his body near Difficult Run. County fire and rescue units recovered it. [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 9/1]
A park-owned and operated canal barge, which serves as a tour boat, caught fire at its dock at 30th Street in Northwest Washington around 2:45 a.m. on September 12th. City firefighters responded and extinguished the blaze. The barge sustained extensive damage, and is believed to be a total loss. The boat's value has been placed at $200,000. Investigators from the city fire department, Park Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) are investigating the fire. [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 9/14]
Park Police officers and C&O Canal rangers searched the Potomac River near Great Falls for a missing kayaker on November 28th. A 26-year-old man from Marietta, Georgia, had been kayaking with four friends when his kayak flipped over and he fell into the river. Local fire and rescue units joined in the effort, but no trace of the kayaker has yet been found. [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 12/1]
Local 911 operators received a report of a structural fire in the Two Locks area of the park on the evening of December 5th. Several local fire departments responded. While on patrol in the area, ranger George DeLancey saw flames of 50 to 100 feet in the Two Locks area and firefighters attacking the blaze. The fire was in the Old Carpenter House, which was completely destroyed by the blaze. An investigation of the fire, which has been deemed suspicious in origin, is currently underway. [Tom Nash, CHOH, 12/8]
On the morning of October 24, 1998, rangers in the park's Western Maryland District were operating a decoy deer in an abandoned apple orchard near the canal towpath. They saw J.G. drive slowly past the decoy, then return a few minutes later, get out of his vehicle, and fire one round at the decoy from his muzzleloader rifle. J.G. was cited for taking wildlife in the park and his weapon was seized. He appeared in magistrate's court on February 19th and entered a guilty plea. The magistrate fined him $1,000 and ordered his rifle and scope forfeited to the government. [Mark Spier, CHOH, 2/26]
Harpers Ferry Center interpretive planner Katherine "Kate" Hammond was seriously injured in a biking accident on the canal towpath around 6 p.m. on Friday, July 9th. Hammond, who is stationed in Denver, was in town to assist in an interpretive planning course currently underway at Mather Training Center. She apparently hit an obstacle and was thrown head first into a rock wall, sustaining numerous facial fractures and lacerations. Hikers found her unconscious and reported the accident. Hammond is in Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown, Maryland. Her prognosis is good, but she must undergo further treatment and is expected to be away from work for some time. [Garry Cummins, Manager, Harpers Ferry Center, 7/12]
The following updates have been received from parks being affected by Hurricane Floyd: o C&O Canal NHP (MD/DC) - The National Weather Service does not expect flooding along the Potomac River, but the park has nonetheless taken some precautions, including removal of equipment from picnic areas and campgrounds. Tidal sections of the river could experience flooding due to tides and water pushed up the river by the hurricane. [Ken Garvin and Daryl Rhodes, SERO, 9/15-16; Barbara Goodman, Superintendent, TIMU/FOCA, 9/15; Linda Brown, CR, MOCR, 9/15; Jim Zahradka, IC, CALO, 9/15; Gary Bremen, IO, BISC, 9/15; Mike Johnson, CR, FRSP, 9/15; Doyle Nelson, CR, DEWA, 9/15; Rick Nolan, CR, FOMC, 9/15; Dave Griese, CR, FIIS, 9/15; Mike Litterst, PAO, COLO, 9/15; Denise Pearce, CAHA, 9/15; LES, CAHA, 9/16; Nora Martinez, CR, CANA, 9/16; Hattie Squires, MOCR, 9/16; Martha Bogle, COSW, 9/16; Dave Parker, FOMA, 9/16; Wally Mattis, CM, FOFR, 9/16; Gordie Wilson, FOMA/CASA, 9/16; John Tucker, Superintendent, FOSU/CHPI, 9/16; John Burn, CR, ASIS, 9/16]
Ranger Ryan Peabody, Clear Springs VFD firefighters and state fire marshals responded to a structural fire along Dam #5 Road at 1:30 a.m. on November 14th. They found the 1850's Shank House totally engulfed in flames. The fire has been classified as an arson. The structure was on the LCS, but was not occupied. This is the second historic structure in that area to be set on fire in the past year. The Clear Springs VFD also responded to another suspicious fire on the same day, this one outside the park. A joint investigation is being conducted by park staff and state fire marshals. [Tom Nash, CHOH, 11/17]
Ranger Todd Gearman checked a car parked adjacent to park land near Pennyfield Lock just prior to dusk on October 30th. He saw a tarp, maps and soft bow case in the vehicle. The car was blocked in, and Gearman and ranger Joe Pond began a search of the woods. They soon came upon a man - W.H. of Alexandria, Virginia - in subdued clothing with a compound bow, portable tree stand and camouflaged backpack with arrows. W.H. had blood on his clothes and told the rangers that it had come from gutting a deer that he'd just killed. He was cooperative and led them to the fresh carcass of an eight-point white-tail buck. He was charged with several violations of 36 CFR Part 2. Trophy hunting for large bucks is increasing in suburban and urban park areas. Over the past year or so, several national hunting magazines have published articles about hunting in suburban areas. [Tom Nash, Acting CR, CHOH, 11/1]
A single-vehicle accident occurred on SR 51 in the Spring Gap section of the park just before noon on December 5th. Park, state and county units responded and found that the vehicle had left the road on a sharp curve, struck a guardrail, traveled about 150 feet through the air, then landed upside down in a section of the canal containing water. Both the driver and passenger had been killed in the accident. A joint investigation is underway. [Tom Nash, Acting CR, CHOH, 12/7]
On November 27th, a ranger and USFWS agents arrested G.T. for hunting in the park. G.T. was seen firing at a six-point buck inside the park and was found to have previously baited the area with corn. He's suspected of having hunted on park land for the past several years. G.T. is a licensed taxidermist and known hunting videographer. Several CFR charges were filed against him. [Tom Nash, CHOH, 12/7]
On May 27th, a multi-agency task force concluded "Task Force Potomac," a fisheries enforcement operation on the Potomac River in the Little Falls/Chain Bridge area. The operation took place over six days during a one-month period. Citations were issued for over 420 violations, including the illegal catching of striped bass and shad, use of cast nets, snagging, fishing without a license, and a multitude of public use violations. Hundreds of pounds of highly prized anadromous striped bass were seized, some of which was donated to a homeless shelter. The operation also gained valuable intelligence on potential commercial fishing violations. No injuries occurred during the operation despite the rugged terrain in the area. Participating in the task force were the Park Police officers, NPS rangers and EMS personnel, USFWS agents, and officers from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Maryland National Capital Park Police, DC Harbor Police, and Arlington Police. (Einar Olsen, RCR, NCRO, 5/30)
On the morning of March 16th, the Park Police received a call from a man who reported that his wife was suicidal and on her way to Great Falls. Several officers responded and located her unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot. Officer Christopher Curtin found her at the water's edge near Great Falls Inn. She told him that she was going to end her life. Eagle 1, several crisis negotiators, rangers and local fire and rescue personnel joined the officers at the scene. Sergeant Kathy Harasek, a trained crisis negotiator, worked with Curtin to establish a dialogue with the woman. Negotiations were successful, and the woman was taken to a local hospital for treatment. [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 3/19]
On the afternoon of April 21st, ranger Ryan Peabody contacted a man who identified himself as G.H. G.H., who had the strong odor of alcohol about him, was sitting in the driver's seat of his 1998 GMC Sonoma with the keys in the ignition. G.H. told Peabody that he'd been drinking, so Peabody asked him to step out of his vehicle. G.H. instead attempted to drive off. A brief struggle ensued, during which Peabody's arm became entangled with G.H.'s as he sped off. Peabody was able to break free from the GMC and pursued. The pursuit lasted only a few minutes before Peabody terminated it due to G.H.'s reckless s driving. Peabody and ranger Bill Pond interviewed several of G.H.' relatives and friends and were able to find a residence where they had reason to believe he might be hiding. The rangers drove by the residence and saw G.H. among a group of people standing outside the building. He was arrested. Further investigation revealed that G.H. had a history of assaults on police officers, and that he is currently a suspect in other local crimes, including hit and run and burglary. G.H. will be charged with assault on an officer, DWI and numerous traffic offenses. [Tom Nash, DR, CHOH, 4/30]
Palisades DR Joe Pond was orienting new rangers Tad Pultorak and Rob Gydus to the park on the evening of May 26th when they came upon two men at the White's Ferry access who rapidly jumped into a 2000 Chevrolet Impala with New York plates and fled the area. Their suspicious activities led Pond to check the vehicle's registration while the rangers followed the Impala. The vehicle came back as possibly stolen, so the rangers continued to follow the car as it left the park and requested backup from Montgomery County PD. The driver of the Impala suddenly turned the car into a side road and stopped. The rangers made a felony traffic stop and arrested the two occupants - driver P.R., 53, and passenger R.W., 55 - without incident. The vehicle was confirmed as stolen and the owner said that he would press charges, so the two men were taken to a detention center and interrogated. The vehicle was impounded. Wilson was subsequently released, but Robinson was held for felony receipt of stolen property. [Keith Whisenant, CHOH, 5/29]
On May 18th, a multi-agency task force concluded the spring 2001 operation of Task Force Potomac, a fisheries enforcement operation on the Potomac River in the Little Falls/Chain Bridge area. Citations were issued for 167 violations, including the illegal catch of striped bass, use of cast nets, snagging, fishing without a license, and a multitude of CFR public use violations. Personnel also provided EMS assistance to several visitors who sustained fishing-related injuries in the area. During a similar period last year, citations were issued for over 420 violations. In addition to the enforcement efforts, an education outreach effort has been begun to encourage responsible fishing and public use on park lands. Participating in the task force were USPP officers, NPS rangers, USFWS agents, and officers from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, DC Harbor Police, and Arlington County Police. [Einar Olsen, RCR, NCRO, 6/8]
On the evening of June 30th, ranger Bob Conway contacted two adults and a juvenile at the Little Pool backcountry campsite. A check of the two adults revealed both had felony warrants out against them - T.D., 41, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was wanted in Maryland for armed robbery and C.M., 38, also from West Virginia, was wanted for failure to appear on charges of distributing cocaine. Conway decided to clear from the contact and wait for backup. Six rangers from C&O Canal, Antietam and a local state park entered the campsite early the next morning while all were sleeping and made the arrests without incident. The fugitives were turned over to state officials for processing. [Dwight Dixon, DR, CHOH, 7/5]
The park reports three significant ARPA/resource damage cases over the past month. On August 10th, ranger Jan Lemons came upon a group of juveniles in the park near Hancock. The kids were in the process of constructing a mountain bike course; they had cleared a large area of vegetation, constructed mounds for jumping, and disturbed known archeological sites. Numerous digging tools and wheelbarrows were confiscated. USPP detective John Critchfield is assisting Lemons in the investigation and numerous follow-up interviews. Charges are pending. On September 5th, park volunteer Tim Thomas saw two men digging and using metal detectors around Lockhouse 75. Ranger Buchanan responded and located the two men, identified as C.G., 28, and T.D., 27, both of Corriganville, Maryland. Both men had artifacts, metal detectors, and digging instruments in their possession. C.G. was arrested on site on an outstanding theft warrant. Rangers located and documented 16 holes in the area the following day. Leo Karpinski, an archeologist from Valley Forge, and James Andra, a GPS operator from C&O Canal, were called and assisted in the follow-up investigation. Interviews with both subjects were conducted and each gave detailed accounts of their activities. Charges are pending. Park maintenance reported digging around lock gate 29 on September 5th. Ranger Dwight Dixon investigated and found that both lock gates - which had been previously covered and protected under earth - had been excavated. The lock gates seemed to still be intact and in good condition. An interview with local volunteers revealed that they had uncovered the gates in an attempt to locate a piece of gate hardware which they wanted to display in the newly refurbished and opened lock house. The gates are being examined by resource managers to determine what actions are required to protect the uncovered structures. (Dwight Dixon, DR, CHOH, 9/18)
On May 23rd, rangers preparing a deposit of campground fees noticed a discrepancy between sites occupied and corresponding payments. A spot check was done that same day comparing self registrations with current occupants of the full campground at McCoys Ferry. Other discrepancies were discovered and several campers reported having given their registration money to the volunteer campground host. The campground host, J.C., was contacted and admitted to taking campground funds. Statements from recent campers have shown the total to be in the hundreds of dollars. Additional information has been received and the investigation is continuing. It is believed that the total amounts could be much higher, since this was the host's third year in the campground. Federal charges are pending. Martin Gallery is the lead agent on the case. [Dwight Dixon, DR, CHOH, 6/5]
Rangers contacted a large group of people consuming alcohol in the park around 10 p.m. on June 30th. While the rangers were checking the group for warrants, D.K., 24, of West Virginia, slipped away and fled. When questioned, none of the others in the group reported knowing that he was gone. Fishermen nearby said that they'd seen a man matching D.K.'s description heading up the tow path. The rangers looked for him, but without luck. The next morning, two people from the group told state police that they'd seen D.K. jump into the Potomac River and that they were to have picked him up at a known location on the West Virginia side. When he failed to appear, they became concerned. They also told police that a boat had come up the river and that they thought they heard it hit something in the water and stop and circle before it continued on up river. With the assistance of numerous agencies, divers searched the river until dark on July 1st. On July 2nd, they found D.K.'s body on the river bottom in about 24 feet of water. Evidence indicated that he'd been hit by a boat. Alcohol is thought to have been a contributing factor. Rangers confirmed that there was an active warrant out for D.K. State DNR is investigating the fatality, since they have primary jurisdiction on the Potomac River. [Dwight Dixon, Acting CR, CHOH, 7/3]
A jogger running along the canal towpath in the Weverton area on the morning of November 15 discovered the body of an apparent homicide victim on a river access trail about 30 feet from the path. The man, subsequently identified as 43-year-old J.R. of Charlestown, West Virginia, died from a single gunshot wound to his neck. The passenger side window of J.R.'s van, found just outside the park, was shattered. The case has been turned over to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, with the NPS assisting. Leads are being pursued. [Submitted by Keith Kelley, District Ranger]
Ranger Derek Anderson was on patrol in the Edwards Ferry area of the
park around 8 a.m. on Saturday, January 18, when he stopped to talk to a
man who was standing on the boat ramp next to a taxicab. The man
immediately became combative and attacked Anderson. During the ensuing
struggle, Anderson was forced to use his weapon, shooting the man
several times. Anderson's assailant died at the scene. Anderson
sustained multiple contusions and scrapes during the attack. It was
later learned that the man had carjacked the cab after assaulting the
cab driver earlier that morning. Montgomery County PD is the lead
investigative agency.
On March 13th, a Montgomery County (Maryland) grand jury ruled that
the January shooting death of a carjacking suspect by ranger Derek
Anderson was justifiable. Anderson contacted the man at the Edwards
Ferry boat ramp on the morning of January 18th. A struggle ensued,
during which Anderson employed pepper spray and his baton in a
unsuccessful effort to subdue his assailant. Anderson then shot him in
self defense. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
On May 3rd, a multi-agency task force concluded a four-day operation
entitled Task Force Potomac, a fisheries enforcement operation on the
Potomac River in the Little Falls/Chain Bridge area. Citations were
issued for 160 violations, including the illegal catching of shad and
striped bass, use of cast nets, snagging, fishing without a license, and
a multitude of CFR public use violations, such as illegal swimming in
hazardous areas of the river. In addition to the enforcement operation,
an educational outreach effort conducted by the NPS and Potomac
Conservancy is being implemented to encourage responsible fishing and
public use on park lands. Participating in the task force were NCR
resource protection unit rangers, USPP officers, USFWS agents, Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries wardens, DC harbor police,
Maryland Department of Natural Resources police, Virginia Marine
Resources Commission police, and Maryland National Capital Park police.
A 50-year-old man from North Potomac fell from the cliffs above the
lock onto rocks in the canal just after 5 p.m. on July 4th. He was
pronounced dead at the scene by medics with Montgomery County FD.
Eastern parks in the path or potential path of Isabel have completed preparations. As a precautionary measure, one of the Service's two national Type 1 teams (JD Swed's team) has staging in Charlotte, North Carolina, in order to be prepared to respond as needed to any park or area. A number of Type 2 teams are also on standby. All federal agencies in the Washington area are closed today, including the NPS Washington Office. OPM will monitor the weather and make a determination later today on whether or not offices will reopen on Friday. Here's a rundown on the status of many of the parks in or near the storm's path (south to north):
This summary was compiled from reports submitted by Ken Garvin, SERO; Brenda Ritchie, EICC, SHEN; Russ Wilson, Superintendent, SAHO/GATE; Ann Childress, Superintendent, MOCR; Mark Hardgrove, Assistant Superintendent, CAHA; Mike Litterst, PIO, COLO; Bob Kirby, Superintendent, PETE; Wayne Valentine, IC, FIIS; José Rosario, Acting Chief, Park Operations Support, GATE; Cindy MacLeod, Superintendent, RICH; William Kenyon, NCR Dispatch; Scot McElveen, Chief Ranger, HAFE; Wayne Sanders, Chief of Maintenance, GEWA/THST; Tom Nash, Chief Ranger, COLO; Russ Smith, Superintendent, FRSP; Clay Jordan, IC, SHEN; Steven Ambrose, Park Ranger, HOFU; Frank Mills, IC, STLI; Ed Whitaker, IC, DEWA.
Hurricane Isabel caused moderate to extensive damage in many parks within Southeast, National Capital and Northeast Regions. As of yesterday, 36 parks had reported damage sufficient to require the preparation of conditions assessments. Although most of these parks are not requesting any additional assistance, several have sustained damage sufficient to warrant oversight of recovery efforts by incident management teams. Here's a rundown on the affected parks (south to north), excluding those that reported negligible impacts:
Additional reports will appear daily during recovery operations, which will likely go on for some time. Current information and essential documents from the incident management teams will be available at the IMT web page: http://www.nps.gov/fire/allrisk/. Please check if for additional details. Reports compiled from submissions by Kris Fister, IO, Type 1 IMT; Ken Garvin, SERO; Don Boucher, NCRO; Doug Wallner, NERO; Ann Childress, Superintendent, MOCR; Wouter Ketel, IC, and Bob Vogel, Superintendent, CALO; Paul Stevens, Liaison Officer, IMT, and Barry Munyan, ADR, CAHA; Vidal Martinez, Superintendent, GEWA; Reed Johnson, Superintendent, APCO; Clay Jordan, IC, Type 3 IMT, SHEN; Mike Hill, Superintendent, ASIS; Charlie Strickfaden, Chief Ranger, FOMC; Gregory Smith, Chief Ranger, MORR; Maryanne Gerbauckas, Superintendent, EDIS; Bill Sanders, Superintendent, HOFU; Cindy McLeod, Superintendent, RICH; Bob Kirby, Superintendent, PETE; Russ Smith, Superintendent, FRSP.
Damage assessments and the organization of repair and rehabilitation operations are underway at parks throughout the Mid-Atlantic states. Assisting with and supporting these efforts are JD Swed's Type 1 team (currently relocating from Charlotte to Williamsburg), Rick Brown's Type 2 team, and Clay Jordan's Type 3 team at Shenandoah. Here's a rundown on the current status of affected parks (south to north): Chesapeake and Ohio NHP The lower 24 miles of towpath reopened to the public at noon on Sunday. The remainder of the canal - from Seneca Creek to Cumberland - is closed. Great Falls entrance road remains closed due to downed power lines. About half of the park had been assessed at the time of the report on Sunday. Additional reports will appear daily during recovery operations, which will likely go on for some time. Current information and essential documents from the incident management teams will be available at the IMT web page: http://www.nps.gov/fire/allrisk/. Please check if for additional details. Reports compiled from submissions by Kris Fister, IO, Type 1 IMT; Ken Garvin, SERO; Don Boucher, NCRO; Bob Martin and Doug Wallner, NERO; Mary Doll, PIO, Outer Banks Group; Wouter Ketel, IC/Chief Ranger, and Donna Tipton, PIO, CALO; Laura Joss, Superintendent, FOMC; Vidal Martinez, Superintendent, GEWA/THST; Cindy MacLeod, Superintendent, RICH/MAWA; Bob Kirby, Superintendent, PETE; Laurie Coughlan, Superintendent, HAMP; Clay Jordan, IC, Type 3 IMT, SHEN; Tom Nash, Chief Ranger, COLO; Bill Sanders, Superintendent, HOFU; Mike Hill, Superintendent, ASIS.
Yesterday's efforts focused largely on organizing incident management operations, orienting incoming personnel, obtaining equipment, and gathering important damage cost data for the regional and Washington offices. Initial recovery efforts were hampered by heavy rain that fell on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, causing new flood damage in many areas already affected by Isabel. The following reports were received from parks and regions over the past 24 hours. They are listed from south to north. This information either supplements or revises information previously reported; no effort is being made to recap earlier submissions with each new summary. Through the assistance of David Duran in the Service's National Information Systems Center in Denver, URL's are posted below for maps of three of the hardest hit parks - Cape Lookout, Cape Hatteras, and Colonial - so that readers can more easily determine referenced locations. Others will be added in the future as needed. You can zoom in or out or pan from one park to another and can also turn additional data layers on or off, e.g. National Geographic TOPO!, Relief Imagery, Flood Hazard Areas, Land Cover Imagery, etc. The sites are, respectively: http://maps2.itc.nps.gov/nps/parkatlas/jsp/atlas.jsp?zoomtopark=Cape%20Lookout%20National%20Seashore For a gallery of photos of the hurricane's effects on several parks, put together by WASO ITC's Ken Handwerger, please go to http://inside.nps.gov/ people/hurricane/. This gallery will be added to on a regular basis. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP More than four inches of rain fell in the Potomac River watershed on Monday night. The Monocacy River was about six feet above flood stage on Tuesday. Park staff are reassessing the condition of the towpath. About 48 miles of that towpath are now open (Georgetown to Pennyfield Lock and Taylor's Lodge to Dam #5), but the remainder - about 136 miles - remains closed. The Georgetown and Cumberland visitor centers are open; the Great Falls and Williamsport visitor centers should open later this week. Almost all of the park has been assessed. Once all assessments are complete and areas are deemed to be safe, the park will be fully opened. Additional reports will appear daily during recovery operations, which will likely go on for some time. Current information and essential documents from the incident management teams will be available at the IMT web page: http://www.nps.gov/fire/allrisk/. Please check if for additional details. Reports compiled from submissions by Kris Fister, IO, Type 1 IMT; Barb Stewart, IO, Type 2 IMT; Don Boucher, NCRO; Dan Davidson, Shenandoah EICC; Bob Kirby, Superintendent, PETE; Clay Jordan, IC, Type 3 IMT, SHEN; Bob Martin, Regional Chief Ranger, NERO; Russ Smith, Superintendent, FRSP; Cindy McLeod, Superintendent, RICH.
Overview Crews and other resources have been arriving at the Williamsburg ICP for JD Swed's Type 1 IMT since Wednesday, bringing the total number of personnel currently assigned to the incident to 131. Early work efforts are focused on orienting personnel to the operations, with a heavy emphasis on safety due to the increased hazards involved in tree removal operations, especially with vehicle traffic. Team members are also holding short training sessions on ICS for newly-arrived personnel, as there are many people coming to this incident with minimal previous exposure to the system. The FMSS team continues to compile and input facilities assessment information received from the 38 park units that sustained hurricane-related damage. The preliminary assessment has been 100% completed by the parks. The FMSS team members are going out to parks beginning today to conduct comprehensive condition assessments. Crews will continue work on clearing the Yorktown Battlefield tour road in Colonial NHP. Additional crews and other resources were dispatched yesterday to Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania NMP, Richmond NB and Petersburg NB to work on tree clearing and other cleanup operations. Many employees working in the parks being managed in this incident are still without power at home. These same employees have been working for extended hours with little or no time off for over a week. A three-person Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) team was scheduled to arrive in Williamsburg yesterday. They will make arrangements to provide assistance to park employees dealing with incident-related stress Rick Brown's Type 2 team, which is focusing on four sites in what's being called the North Carolina Seashore Area, is divided into two branches. The Outer Banks Group branch has four divisions - one for Wright Brothers and Fort Raleigh, one for Bodie Island, one for Hatteras Island, and one for Ocracoke Island; the Cape Lookout branch has two divisions - one for Core Banks and one for Portsmouth Village. Principal problems confronting personnel on this operation have to do with the time and distances between locations and the amount of travel required. Operations are underway in all divisions. Park Updates The following reports were received from parks and regions over the past 24 hours. They are listed from south to north. This information either supplements or revises information previously reported; no effort is being made to recap earlier submissions with each new summary.
Additional Information
Reports compiled from submissions by Kris Fister, IO, Type 1 IMT; Barb Stewart, IO, Type 2 IMT; Karl Merchant, Plans Chief, Type 2 IMT; Dave Lattimore, Plans Chief, Type 1 IMT; Don Boucher, NCRO; Zeke Seabright, NCR Communications Center; Clay Jordan, IC, Type 3 IMT, SHEN; Bob Martin, Regional Chief Ranger, NERO; Cindy McLeod, Superintendent, RICH; Mike Litterst, PIO, COLO.
In May, 2004, a routine audit of a permanent visitor use assistant revealed possible theft and fraud activity. A subsequent investigation determined that the employee had been selling accountable stock and falsifying and manipulating shift and remittance reports. There was also evidence that the employee was selling daily entrance receipts and retaining the money collected, both of which occurred over a period of several months. During an investigative interview, the employee confessed to the illegal activities and resigned shortly thereafter. In a negotiated plea agreement, the employee pleaded guilty to 18 USC 641, theft of government property. Sentencing included full restitution of the approximately $800 that was stolen, 100 hours of community service, and court costs. [William Reynolds, Senior LEO, National Capital Region]
On Thursday, April 13th, a ranger was dispatched to a small historic cemetery in the park west of Hancock, Maryland, to investigate a report of digging at one of the gravesites. The ranger found that a hole about five feet deep had been dug into a grave dating from 1875. Two large dirt piles were left on each side of the hole. The piles were sifted by NPS archeologists who were summoned to the scene to assist with the investigation. They found numerous artifacts and other materials and also determined that the coffin had been entered. The gravesite was the most elaborate in the cemetery, with a large headstone and a wrought iron fence. Fifteen smaller holes were found in the surrounding area. Rangers believe that these resulted from metal detecting activity. This is the second incident in which a grave has been entered in this cemetery, but the coffin was not breached in the first incident. An investigation is underway with assistance from regional archeologists, park staff, NPS special agents, and the U.S. Attorney's Office. [Dispatch, NCR]
On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 3rd, two rangers - one from C&O Canal, the other from Monocacy - came upon four people who were in the process of loading harvested river clams from the Potomac River into their vehicle at the Warmwater parking lot in the Dickerson Conservation Area near Dickerson, Maryland. The park runs through the state-owned conservation area. The rangers found from 400 to 600 pounds of clams that had been harvested from the river's bottom that day and stored in several burlap bags and articles of clothing for loading into the vehicle. The poachers were using a wheeled dolly to transport the clam-filled bags from the river's edge across federal park lands back onto state land where the vehicle was parked. The rangers summoned state DNR officers, who cited seven people for possession of illegally-harvested clams. Four of the seven were charged by the rangers for transporting illegally taken wildlife in violation of state law. Investigation revealed that the clams were being harvested for commercial gain. [Blair Williamson, Lead Dispatcher, NCR Dispatch]
On the evening of June 21st, visitors heading out for a bike ride from the Monocacy Aqueduct parking lot saw a vehicle parked there with its engine running. When they came back two hours later, it was still there, with its engine still running, so they notified the Frederick County (Maryland) Sheriff's Office. Deputies subsequently notified the regional communication center, and rangers were sent to the scene. The vehicle was identified as one belonging to a missing 21-year-old man from Rockville. Rangers searched the vehicle and discovered a box of shotgun shells with two missing. The father, who also arrived on scene, told rangers that his son had recently been discharged from the military for medical reasons and that he believed that he might have come to the park to hurt himself. Rangers conducted a hasty search of the area through the remainder of the night, but were unable to find him. The search resumed the following morning at 7 a.m. Rangers, assisted by the park's search dog, tracked and located the missing man's body in a heavily wooded area about 50 yards from his vehicle. He evidently shot himself. Rangers, Park Police and Montgomery County deputies are investigating. [Blair Williamson, Lead Dispatcher]
On the evening of July 14th, a park visitor returned from a boat trip on the Potomac River and found that his 2004 Chevrolet truck had been seriously vandalized. The truck had been pelted with large rocks, breaking four windows and cause over $3,600 worth of damage. The man supplied rangers with the name of the person who he thought had damaged the truck - someone with a personal vendetta against him. The follow-up investigation led to two teenagers and a 21-year-old man being charged with vandalism to private property. [Al Voner]
In April 2006, two people walking in a backcountry area of the park near Hancock, Maryland, came upon a historic cemetery with a grave that appeared to have been excavated. They reported it to authorities and an investigation ensued. Rangers confirmed that the grave of Mary Ohr, who died in 1875, had been disturbed and also found that small holes had been dug into the ground in the area around the cemetery. Evidence indicated that metal detectors had probably been utilized in committing the crime. The crime scene was carefully processed with the help of NPS archeologists. Even though the hole dug over the grave was only five feet deep, it was found that Ohr's casket had been entered. Last June, rangers and NPS special agents interviewed three people, all residents of Hancock, Maryland - C.P., 24, Jo.C., 29, and Ja.C., 53. All three admitted to metal detecting and relic hunting in the park, and C.P. and Jo.C. were found to have excavated the gravesite. They also admitted to digging 25 to 30 holes in the area before finding the gravesite. They dug there in hopes of finding jewelry in the casket. After digging down about five feet, they said that they began "creeping out" and abandoned their excavation, not realizing that they'd already dug through Ohr's remains. On January 15th, Jo.C. and C.P. pled guilty in federal court to a 16 USC 470 ARPA violation. As part of a plea agreement, they were sentenced to pay the park $2,569 in restitution for the damage incurred, ordered to serve a year's probation and complete 25 hours of community service in the park, required to forfeit two metal detectors, and banned from entering any NPS site for two years. On February 20th, W.C. pled guilty to digging cultural/archeological resources and was ordered to pay $1,015.94 in restitution to the park. In an apology letter written by C.P. to the park, he admitted that the excavation of the grave "was a stupid and very foolish thing to do." [Leigh Zahm]
Rangers are investigating a major act of vandalism at the Monocacy Aqueduct area of the park. During the overnight hours of Saturday, February 10th, a kiosk with interpretive signs was destroyed. The restrooms in the area were also severely damaged. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the National Park Service at 301-714-2235. A $1,000 reward is being given to anyone with information leading to the successful conviction of those responsible. [Ryan Peabody]
Park maintenance employee Skip Barnhouse called the regional communications center on the afternoon of April 4th and reported a motor vehicle accident in Sandy Hook, Maryland, which is across the river from Harpers Ferry. Barnhouse said that a driver, possibly drunk, had hit a parked car and was attempting to leave the scene on two flat tires. The center contacted the Maryland State Police, who advised that a trooper was already en route. Within minutes of Barnhouse's call, acting chief ranger Ryan Peabody arrived on scene, boxed in the 2001 Mitsubishi sedan against the adjacent railroad right-of-way, and made a felony car stop. The 34-year-old driver, a resident of Knoxville, Maryland, was uncooperative and declined to obey Peabody's commands. Peabody advised the communications center that he needed assistance, and several park rangers and officers from the Maryland State Police, Washington County Sheriff's Office, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources responded. Meanwhile, Peabody seized an opportune moment to physically pull the driver from the vehicle, fearing that he would injure himself or others by attempting to flee. He was taken to the ground with the assistance of Barnhouse, placed under custody, then turned over to state troopers when they arrived on scene. Blood on the driver's clothing was inconsistent with the motor vehicle accident, so troopers went to his residence to investigate further. They found a 34-year-old woman with life-threatening stab wounds and an unharmed 22-month-old child inside. The woman was flown by helicopter to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. The Maryland State Police and NPS are continuing the investigation. [Blair Williamson, Lead Dispatcher, NCR Communications Center]
Rangers had just cleared from an incident at Antietam Creek campground at about 3:15 a.m. on May 23rd when they came upon a semi-responsive man lying in a fetal position on the ground beside a picnic table. When they checked his campsite, they found numerous prescription medications and a possible suicide note. They immediately began treating him, during which time he handed one of the rangers a card for a funeral home should he expire. Rangers had him stabilized by the time advanced life support personnel arrived on scene and took him to Washington County Hospital. He was treated and released from the hospital. Further investigation confirmed that this had been a suicide attempt. [Ryan Peabody]
On Wednesday, June 4th, a series of powerful thunderstorms passed through the National Capital Region, prompting the National Weather Service to issue 70 severe thunderstorm, marine, and tornado warnings in the Baltimore/Washington area. The storms left over 500,000 homes and businesses with out power and spawned four tornados. While none of the tornados struck any parks in NCR, virtually all NCR areas suffered damage from downed trees and power lines. The following is a synopsis of the preliminary storm impacts. The full extent of the damage may not be know for several days. C&O Canal NHP - Numerous trees are reported down across the towpath. There's no power at Great Falls or the Ferry Hill Complex outside of Sharpsburg. Power lines fell across the entrance road to Great Falls, trapping nine vehicles inside the park. That road and MacArthur Boulevard were later opened. Downed trees and a power line trapped three visitor cars at Swain's Lock; the visitors walked out to River Road to get transportation home. Canal Road in Washington County, Maryland, was blocked by a number of downed trees, trapping a number of cars inside. Rangers cut one vehicle out, fire and rescue personnel removed the rest of the trees and freed the remainder of the vehicles. PEPCO's power plant in Dickerson, Maryland, advised that they had a high voltage line down across the plant's entrance road and requested permission to use the towpath to allow workers to exit the plant (C&O Canal runs through the power plant grounds). Rangers found, however, that the towpath downstream of the plant was not passable due to downed trees. Road access to the towpath upstream of the power plant was also closed due to downed trees, so plant employees were unable to exit the plant via the towpath. At Edwards Ferry, old brick house ruins collapsed, blocking one lane. Access to Lock 25 has been closed pending removal of downed and hazard trees. [Don Boucher, Emergency Services Coordinator, NCRO]
On Friday, June 13th, seasonal rangers Dan Kirkwood and Naomi Munk were leading the mules that pull the canal boat Georgetown on the C&O Canal towpath upstream of the 31st Street Bridge in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. They were about to hook the boat to the mules when they noticed a woman and man sitting on the ledge next to the towpath. Kirkwood stopped the mules just past the couple. The woman stood up and said that she was sick, that she did not have her medication, and that she was having a seizure. When Kirkwood attempted to help her, the woman lunged first at him, then at the mules, all the while yelling about cruelty to the mules and animal welfare. Kirkwood tried to hold her off, but the woman was able to grab the chain that runs from the back mule to the singletree and pull herself almost under the back mule. Kirkwood managed to wrestle her off, but she tried to bite him, so he released her. The woman then lunged another time. Kirkwood held her off and Munk moved the mules up the towpath away from the woman. The man who had been sitting with the woman helped restrain her. She continued to yell about animal cruelty. Kirkwood then hooked the boat up to the mules and continued the trip up the towpath. He was not injured in the altercation. The incident is under investigation by C&O Canal rangers and DC police. [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger]
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]
Reports have been received from parks along the Eastern seaboard regarding this past weekend's passage of Tropical Storm Hanna, which brought only modest winds but heavy rains: C&O Canal NHP - The park began storm preparations on Friday. Persons living in the park and groups with special use permits in park areas were contacted and advised of the storm and the park's closure. The visitor centers at Great Falls and Georgetown were closed all weekend. The park also closed all access points and public use areas in Montgomery County and the District on Friday evening, employing park gates or barricades. Water levels in the canal were lowered, and the canal boats at Georgetown and Great Falls were dry docked. Park vehicles from all divisions were staged outside the park, fully fueled and loaded with SAR equipment. Rangers drove the towpath from Edward's Ferry downstream, advising campers of the approaching storm and the closure. A leak was discovered in the towpath upstream of Angler's Inn and barricades and fencing were installed to keep visitors out of the area. Protection rangers and USPP officers were asked to respond, as visitors were disregarding the barricades and closure signs. Some visitors continued to enter the closed area despite the presence of rangers and officers. The leak at Angler's Inn turned into a major breach of the towpath, at least 400 feet in length. Chain link fencing was then installed to try to keep visitors out of the area. A downed tree branch on power lines started a small brush fire at Great Falls on Saturday morning, but the fire was extinguished right away by park personnel. The event knocked out power to the Great Falls area until approximately 6 p.m. Protection rangers and visitor services staff manned nine vehicle access points to the park to keep people from entering closed areas. Water spilled out of the canal at several locations in the Great Falls area, causing minor flooding of the Great Falls Tavern basement. One downed tree across the towpath was reported. This tree was blocking access to the town-owned campground in Brunswick and maintenance personnel removed it. The park halted a fund-raising bike ride by the Alzheimer Association at 1 p.m. on Saturday for safety reasons. A total of 34 park personnel were involved in Tropical Storm Hanna operations in Montgomery County and the District. The park will continue to keep low water levels in the canal, and the nine vehicle access points between Fletcher's Cove and Tschiffley Mill Road will remain closed until damage assessments are completed. [Wouter Ketel, CALO; Don Boucher, NRCO; Saudia Muwwakkil, SERO]
Park volunteer Russ Kennedy was badly injured in a fall while patrolling Billy Goat Trail, Section A, in the Great Falls Tavern area of the park on the afternoon of November 2nd. Ranger Brad Sones and volunteer Steve Delanoy responded. Kennedy was treated, then moved to Purple Horse Beach, where he was evaluated by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue EMTs. Park Police sergeants Kenneth Burchell (pilot) and Mark Varanelli (rescue technician) flew to the location in 'Eagle,' the Park Police helicopter, landing on a sandbar between the Maryland and Virginia chutes at Difficult Run. In order to do so, Burchell had to hover the helicopter on the sandbar to keep it from sinking into the soft terrain. Kennedy was loaded onto 'Eagle,' then flown to a hospital. He is currently being treated at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Cards may be sent to him care of Suburban Hospital, 8600 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. [Robert Lachance and Bill Justice]
A 37-year-old man was shot twice in the back with a small caliber weapon while at the Nolands Ferry boat ramp late on the evening of November 20th. He was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Neither of the bullets that hit him caused significant injury, and he was released from the hospital the following morning - then arrested by Frederick County Sheriff's Department officers on an active warrant. The shooter, identified as one J.N., fled the scene and is still at large. The county is leading the investigation. Rangers Elizabeth Schuster and Dan Albus responded to the incident. [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger]
On Wednesday, July 29th, an F-1 tornado with winds between 90 and 100 mph struck in the Oldtown area of the park. The tornado created a swath of destruction five miles long and over 100 yards wide. Electrical power was lost to 1,000 homes and businesses in the area. The tornado uprooted and sheared an estimated 80 trees within a half mile section of the park's towpath, closing it to pedestrian and bike traffic. On Thursday, the Oldtown maintenance crew cleared the trees from the towpath surface and reopened it to visitor use. This clearing operation was completed efficiently and safely on a hot and humid day and among inter-tangled fallen trees. [Bill Justice, Chief of Interpretation]
On March 12th, based on projected rain forecasts, snow melt, and Potomac River crest levels, the park implemented its flood emergency plan and brought in a Type 3 incident command team. The IC was Ed Wenschhof from Antietam National Battlefield. The park made preparations for a severe flood, including removal of the contents of two visitor centers and a maintenance facility. After the storm passed, the park suffered flooding along the majority of its 184.5 mile length and damage to its infrastructure: The towpath suffered complete breeches in two areas. Numerous areas of the towpath had fallen trees, sink holes, and root ball holes. Extensive damage was done to many miles of towpath surface due to scouring. All park boat ramps and parking lots were flooded. There was a partial failure of the gate at Lock 5, allowing flood waters in the canal prism upstream of Georgetown. Several lockhouses were flooded. Most park campgrounds and day use areas were closed for four to five days. As a result of hard work by park employees and park volunteers, facilities were protected from the flood waters and damaged areas were repaired to allow visitor use. The incident command team was demobilized on March 19th. Information and photographs of the flood can be found at the C&O Canal NHP Sharepoint site at HYPERLINK "http://choh.nps.doi.net/flood2010/default.aspx" [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger]
On March 26th, B.G. of Cumberland, Maryland, was found guilty of simple assault and disorderly conduct charges in the U.S. Magistrates Court for an incident that occurred on April 10, 2008. B.G., who owns property within the boundaries of the park, had a hostile interaction with park employees as they were marking the park's boundary line. B.G. threatened the park employees and threw a wooden surveyors stake at ranger Brandon Brown. Brown used his electronic control device to try to control B.G., but he continued to resist arrest and was wrestling on the ground with Brown when ranger Leigh Zahm applied a second ECD dart cartridge to B.G. He was then handcuffed and arrested. The sentencing for these convictions will be on June 2nd. [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger]
A mother and her daughter drowned in the Potomac River on Memorial Day. On Wednesday evening, local officials pulled the body of what is believed to be a 14-year-old Peruvian girl from the Potomac Gorge, five miles downstream from where the girl and her 36-year-old mother entered the Potomac River near Great Falls Park. The search for the mother's body continued yesterday. It is believed the Peruvian family recently immigrated to the Washington area and was with other Peruvian families enjoying the Memorial Day weekend. These two drownings on Memorial Day brings to eight the number of lives lost within the last year in the Potomac River Gorge, a 14-mile stretch of river from Key Bridge in the District of Columbia northward to the Great Falls on the Potomac. Between 2004 and 2008, with considerable interagency cooperation on the local, county, state and federal levels, there were no preventable drownings in the Potomac River Gorge. While that considerable interagency cooperation has actually grown stronger over the years, the string of no preventable death by drowning was broken in 2009. To raise the visiting public's level of awareness of the hazards of this stretch of river, the National Capital Region's Communications Office, in concert with staff from C&O Canal, George Washington Memorial Parkway and the U.S. Park Police, have produced four-minute video presentations in English, Spanish and Vietnamese that directly show the fast-flowing water as it moves over treacherous rocks. In previous years, both parks have posted river safety signs in English, Spanish and Vietnamese on both sides of the river; those signs remain and additional signs are planned. Both parks have helped prepare a Potomac Gorge search and rescue atlas now used by all emergency service providers, have added NPS bicycle and foot patrols, trail stewards and other volunteers to make visitor contacts, continue to conduct preventive search and rescue patrols, and have park interpretive staff incorporate river safety into programs and roving patrols. All of these efforts will continue. [Bill Line, Communications Officer, NCRO]
For the past couple of months, C&O Canal NHP, Harpers Ferry NHP, Antietam NB, and the surrounding areas have experienced numerous thefts from unattended motor vehicles. Special operations and surveillances have been conducted to apprehend the thieves. On September 12th, ranger Leigh Zahm saw a break-in while conducting surveillance on the Dargan parking lot. A man and a woman shattered a vehicle's window with a rock and stole a purse from it. Zahm managed to videotape the event, but the thieves were not apprehended at that time. Later that day, they were seen in another parking lot in the park by ranger Darius Jones. Zahm positively identified the suspects - J.G. and T.W. - and they were arrested. The pair have been connected to several of the auto break-ins and also to a forced entry and theft case at the Cushwa Basin Visitor Center. Special agent Tim Alley is assisting with the investigation. [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger]
Heavy rains falling throughout the Northeast have caused significant flooding on small streams and are filling larger rivers to their brims. Some flooding will likely occur in these parks: C&O Canal NHP - A moderate flooding event was declared by the superintendent yesterday in anticipation of moderate flooding along the Potomac River and associated impacts to the park. The river will crest at varying points today and tomorrow. Throughout the weekend, water levels along the Potomac River and the C&O Canal will continue to be high. Visitor safety is the park's top priority. During this period, access to some areas of the park will be closed. Current closures include the Billy Goat and Olmstead Overlook Trails at Great Falls and the boat ramps at Monocacy, McCoy's Ferry and Spring Gap day use areas. Other closures may result if conditions warrant. [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger, CHOH; Kathleen Sandt, PIO, DEWA; Seam McGuinness, Superintendent, UPDE]
Parts of the park have been closed to the public due to high water in the Potomac River: Billy Goat Trail Section A and the Olmsted Island bridges in the Great Falls area of the park are closed. High water has covered the towpath areas near Whites Ferry and Edwards Ferry in Montgomery County, Harpers Ferry in Frederick and Washington Counties, and in the Dam 4 area in Washington County. Several park roads are covered with water and are closed. Spring Gap and Paw Paw campgrounds are closed. Visitors are also being advised that all of the park's hiker-biker campsites and boat ramps are in low-lying areas and should not be used. The river is still rising and is expected to continue to do so through the weekend, so other areas will likely be underwater soon. Further information on river levels is available on the National Weather Service's Advanced Hydrological Prediction Service HYPERLINK "http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lwx" website for the region. Maryland DNR also has information on the effect of water levels on its HYPERLINK "http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/pdfs/upperpotomac.pdf" website. [Bill Justice]
On May 3rd, W.A. was found guilty of three counts of burglary and one count of malicious destruction in a jury trial in circuit court in Washington County, Maryland, and sentenced to ten years in prison. The charges stemmed from W.A.'s arrest in the park on outstanding felony warrants last October. During the arrest and related inventory of W.A.'s property, evidence was gathered to charge him with burglary for the forced entry and theft of items from the residence of park neighbor. Rangers Dan Johnston and Martin Gallery were the arresting officers and testified at the jury trial. [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger]
A smoke alarm went off at the Great Falls Engineers House just before 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning, alerting the local fire department. The Montgomery County Fire Department responded with numerous vehicles. The fire started in an unused electrical outlet and spread to nearby boxes of paper, but was contained to a single wall in a lower room. Park personnel conducted a preliminary assessment of the damage yesterday and secured the building. The Engineers House is located within C&O Canal near Great Falls. The house was built in 1874-1875 to serve as a residence for the gatekeeper in charge of the Washington Aqueduct. In recent years, the Engineers House has been used for administrative purposes. [Annette Martin, Superintendent's Secretary]
Due to the very heavy rains falling on the region, the park declared a flood emergency yesterday morning. Members of the park's staff are preparing for what the National Weather Service says could be one of the top ten major floods to strike the area. Areas of the park are being closed, including hiker/biker campgrounds, drive-up campgrounds, boat ramps, visitor centers, and day use areas. Portable toilets throughout the park are being emptied and closed. The Great Falls entrance road, Billy Goat A Trail, and Great Falls Overlook will be closed beginning today. The Canal Quarters program, which provides overnight accommodations in some of the historic lock houses, has been temporarily suspended. A section of the towpath has been closed between Offutt Street and Brehm Road in Allegany County because of a weakened culvert. Additional closures are likely through the week. Visitors are asked to refrain from entering the park and to respect all safety barriers, as there is a risk of being swept away by swift water or becoming stranded along the towpath as the waters rise. The rising water will be carrying extremely hazardous debris, trees, and man-made objects. In addition to the rising water, waterlogged soils can lead to other hazards, including uprooting of trees and falling branches. Visitors are advised to observe the rising water from a safe distance. An internal incident command team has been established to manage information, coordinate resources, and ensure the orderly implementation and completion of the park's flood emergency response plan. The team's top priorities are protection of life and the physical well-being of employees and visitors, and protection of park resources and government property. [Peggie Gaul, Education Specialist]
The very heavy rains from the remains of Tropical Storm Lee that have fallen on many Eastern states this week have brought rivers up to or above flood levels in many areas. Two parks have reported specific issues: C&O Canal NHP - Due to a change in forecast from an original prediction of potentially catastrophic flooding, the park has modified its response plan. Reduced risk of flooding has allowed park staff to hold back on implementing the flood preparation plans that were scheduled to take place on Wednesday. Although recent heavy rainfall has resulted in extremely wet conditions and some minor flooding in parts of the park, most areas have reopened: Visitor centers at Cumberland, Williamsport, Great Falls, and Georgetown are open. Campgrounds and boat ramps throughout the park are also open but will be wet and muddy. The Great Falls Overlook will reopen today. Canal boat operations will resume tomorrow, but the Billy Goat A Trail at Great Falls will remain closed through the weekend. Park users are reminded to be cautious of swift water in the Potomac River, which will be carrying hazardous debris, and to watch for fallen and falling trees that will result from the extremely wet soils and wind. [Deb Nordeen, DEWA; Peggie Gal, CHOH]
Heavy rains caused flash flooding on Friday that led to a number of closures throughout the park: The entrance road to Great Falls closed for the day, but was expected to reopen on Saturday. The visitor center was also expected to reopen on Saturday, but boat operations will not resume until canal conditions upstream are evaluated. The Gold Mine, Ford Mine and Billy Goat Trails are closed due to high water and severe erosion. Parking areas and towpath access at Pennyfield Lock, Rileys Lock and Viollettes Lock are closed until damage assessments can be completed and the areas are determined safe for visitor use. Boat ramps throughout the park are open but will be silt covered as the Potomac River recedes. Towpaths have also been scored in some areas, and downed trees have created unsafe conditions throughout the park. For more information on park conditions, go to HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/closures.htm". [Brad Clawson and Peggie Gaul]
On Tuesday, December 7th, rangers discovered that a restroom facility had been set on fire near the Big Slackwater boat ramp in Washington County, Maryland. A joint investigation is underway with the Maryland State Fire Marshall's Office. A reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for setting the fire. Anyone with information regarding this crime may call the park hotline at 1-866-714-2250. [Hollie Lynch]
A tugboat that was being used as part of the Big Slackwater reconstruction and stabilization project near Hagerstown, Maryland, sank on Wednesday night. It was tied to the work dock at the time. It was recovered from the Potomac River yesterday afternoon by the contractor, C., Inc., using the on-site crane. Officials from the park and Maryland Natural Resource Police monitored the recovery effort. The tugboat, which sank in approximately 20 feet of water, was carrying 200 gallons of diesel fuel. Two containment booms were placed around the tug's perimeter to control any spillage and the contractor surveyed the water between the accident scene and Dam Number 4. Fortunately, none of the diesel fuel was spilled and a potential environmental hazard was averted. The reconstruction of the towpath at Big Slackwater has been underway since late summer 2010. This project will restore a section of the C&O Canal towpath that was destroyed by flooding in 1996. [Peggie Gaul, Public Affairs Officer]
The park has an ongoing construction project in the Big Slackwater area that involves the reconstruction of the towpath along the Potomac River. This two-mile section of towpath was destroyed by a storm in 1996, resulting in it being closed to visitor use since that date, and last year received ARRA funds for its reconstruction. On the evening of April 14th, two bicyclists, a father and his 15-year-old son, were on their return trip upstream on the towpath and decided it was safer to enter the closed section than to take the designated detour on the rural roads. They trespassed through three closed signs and a barricade to enter this area. While walking their bikes on this precarious route, the father slipped and fell into the river. He then swam out to a construction barge, where he became stranded while his son was stranded on the edge of the shore. He called 911 on his cell phone to be rescued. Rangers and local fire and rescue personnel responded to the incident. The two were rescued by boat and the father received an educational charge to obey closure signs. [Brad Clawson, Chief Ranger]
A federal grand jury has indicted D.D., 31, on charges of voluntary manslaughter in connection with the death of a man in Carderock, an area within the park. According to the indictment and other court documents, the victim, another climber, was found on a trail in Carderock with massive head injuries. The indictment alleges that after arguing with the victim, D.D. killed him by repeatedly striking him in the head with a blunt object. D.D. was arrested by New York State Police officers on January 8th and had an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Albany, New York. He was then transported to Maryland by U.S. marshals. D.D. faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter. The United States Attorney praised U.S. Park Police personnel for their work in the investigation. For a copy of the full press release, HYPERLINK "http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/news/2014/IndictmentReturnedForMurderInNationalParkInMaryland.html" click here. For a related Washington Post article, HYPERLINK "http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/climber-charged-with-killing-friend-with-claw-hammer-in-national-park-in-bethesda/2014/01/14/33cbc3f8-7d32-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html" click here. [United States Attorney's Office, District of Maryland]
On February 4th, the Park Police received a report of a larceny from an auto in the upper parking lot of the Widewater parking lot on the C&O Canal. Investigator Christopher Lawston and Detective Sergeant Carl Holmberg knew of a man named D.T. who had been targeting that area. Both knew that D.T. frequented an Exxon gas station in Forestville, Maryland, where stolen credit cards had been used in the past. Holmberg went to the location and began to search for D.T. He located a vehicle that D.T. had used in previous cases and saw that D.T. was pumping gas into an F-250 Ford pickup. Holmberg approached D.T. and identified himself as a police officer just as the gas pump asked if the user wanted a receipt for the gas. Holmberg acquired the receipt, which was determined to be for a card owned by the complainant in the Widewater case. D.T. was placed under arrest. Several gift cards were found on his person. A woman with D.T. consented to a search of her vehicle and apartment, where Park Police officers recovered numerous items that have been linked to at least nine complainants in separate cases in Fairfax, Prince George, Alexandria, and Charles Counties and with other parks within National Capital Region. Officers also learned that D.T. had significant jail time pending for cases in other jurisdictions. [Sergeant Lelani Woods, Public Information Officer]
Washington Post — An article in last Tuesday's Post began with an overview of the situation: "The government shutdown has left America's national parks largely unsupervised. No one is at the gate. No one is collecting a fee. The visitor centers are closed. There are some law enforcement and emergency personnel on site, but certainly nothing as standard as a park ranger who can answer a question. People are streaming into the parks, enjoying the free access, but they're finding trash cans overflowing and restrooms locked. Vault toilets are not serviced, and there's hardly a flush toilet to be found anywhere. If nature calls — well, the woods are over that way." The article includes references to volunteers collecting garbage, cleaning bathrooms and generally keeping an eye on Joshua Tree NP; closure of an access road at C&O Canal NHP that has caused hundreds of visitors to park on nearby neighborhood streets; and the loss of business to communities on both sides of the Rio Grande in Big Bend NP. Source: Washington Post.
A summary of recent openings, closures and other changes in the status of parks and their facilities, Harpers Ferry NHP/C&O Canal NHP/Appalachian NST — Several cars of a CSX train derailed off a bridge while crossing the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry early on the morning of December 21st, causing the NPS to close sites at Harpers Ferry, including The Point and John Brown's Fort, as well as parts of Chesapeake & Ohio National Historical Park and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Other areas — including the crossings from Harpers Ferry to the Maryland Heights trail and the C&O Canal towpath, plus the footbridge attached to the CSX bridge —have also been closed. Source: Hallie Miller, Baltimore Sun.
On February 25, the NPS announced that routine white-tailed deer disease samplings in several DC-area parks have revealed that some deer are positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Thus far, positive samplings by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Pennsylvania State University researchers have been found at Catoctin Mountain Park, Rock Creek Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The NPS expects they'll see similar results at Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that the risk of getting COVID-19 from animals in the U.S., including wildlife, is low. The NPS donates all suitable meat from its deer management operations to local food banks, and though there is no evidence that humans can get COVID-19 through handling or eating game meat, the NPS has contacted local food banks to discuss their venison donations. Source: WUSA9 February 8, 2023 On January 4, a visitor reported a sinkhole that opened up near the Potomac Dam No. 4 Left Abutment. Park staff have been monitoring the formation for any changes in the sinkhole or dam. Thus far, there have not been any noticeable changes. The area has been fenced off, but the towpath is still considered safe and remains open. The NPS is working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to address the sinkhole. Due to the region's limestone karst terrain, sinkholes are common in the area. Source: Herald-Mail Media
On March 21, the park announced that it had received reports of several raccoons behaving abnormally near Lock 34 (mile 61.5). The behaviors may be a sign of rabies. They have warned visitors to be cautious and to report any sick or abnormally behaving wildlife. Source: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
A federal court dismissed a lawsuit brought against the park in August 2023 that claimed the NPS' failure to install guardrails in a section of the parking lot led to a car accident. Source: Virginia Lawyers Weekly
The park found that a historic wall along the Harpers Ferry Road between locks 33 and 34 (mile marker 61.5) showed significant signs of instability and stone loss in dry-laid stone surfaces. The road segment between Hoffmaster Road and the school bus turnaround on Sandy Hook Road was temporarily closed. On December 19, the road was reopened, with an ongoing construction zone to finish the stone façade, restore the canal, and install guardrails. The project is expected to be complete this winter. Source: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
On March 6, an individual was assaulted on the Canal Towpath Trail about a half-mile upstream from the Point of Rocks parking area in Frederick, Maryland. The person assaulted said that they were forced to the ground and had their nose and mouth covered by the assailant's hand before they were able to escape. On March 10, an individual was reported chasing a person on the towpath trail about a mile upstream of the Nolands Ferry parking area, headed toward the Point of Rocks parking area. The description for the suspect and their vehicle is similar from both incidents. The NPS is looking for any information the public might provide. Source: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Herald-Mail Media
On May 24, the park closed the Polly Pond Bridge (mile 134.3) after engineers found damage to the foundation, piers, and structure due to erosion. A detour is currently in place. No reopening date has been announced. Source: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park | |