RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Tuesday, September 24, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-507 - Yosemite (California) - Assault on Concession Employee
Rangers responded to a report of an assault in progress
involving a shotgun in the Camp Six concession employee area at
4:00 a.m. on September 17th. The assault followed a lengthy
argument the evening before in which M.R., a Yosemite
Park and Curry Company employee, made threats of violence and
racial insults toward other Camp Six residents. M.R. was
intoxicated at the time. Following the argument, M.C.,
W.K. and A.K., also employees of
the concessioner, then drove to Madera, California, where they
picked up R.M. and returned to Yosemite. R.M. brought
a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition with him. During the trip back,
the group agreed to bring M.R. to a parking area, hit him
with the butt of the shotgun and otherwise beat him up, and
shoot him if he resisted. When they returned to Camp Six, R.M.
and M.C. assaulted M.R., inflicting minor injuries.
M.C. apparently hesitated to use the shotgun, thereby
limiting the attack to a physical beating. M.C., R.M. and
M.R. were arrested; M.C. and R.M. were charged with
assault, Riddick with disorderly conduct. A search of R.M.'s
residence and work place by Madera police officers led to the
discovery and seizure of a 12-gauge shotgun and a .22 caliber
rifle and to the arrest of another man for violation of parole.
[Law Enforcement Office, YOSE, via CompuServe message from Herb
Gercke, RAD/WRO, 9/23]
91-508 - New River Gorge (West Virginia) - Drowning
On the afternoon of September 21st, R.H., 47, of
Baltimore, Maryland, drowned when he became pinned against a
submerged rock while kayaking through Lower Railroad Rapid. A
commercial rafting outfitter with a radio observed the incident
and reported it to his base. Rangers were immediately contacted
and responded by both land and river. R.H. was extricated
from the river by the outfitter about 20 minutes before the
first rangers arrived. Although CPR was initiated, R.H. had
already been underwater for approximately 40 minutes. He was
taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
[Telefax from Rick Brown, NERI, 9/23]
91-509 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi/Alabama/Tennessee) - MVA; Two
Fatalities
T.G., 27, and her three-year-old daughter J.G. were
killed on the evening of the 23rd when their southbound Chevy
sedan crossed the northbound lane, struck a bridge abutment,
flipped, landed on its roof at the bottom of an embankment, and
caught fire. Local residents responded, but were unable to
reach the family. Local fire and rescue units suppressed the
blaze and removed the bodies with the assistance of rangers. An
investigation into the cause of the accident is underway. [Len
Weems, Acting CR, NATR, via telefax from Steve Alscher, LES,
RAD/SERO, 9/23]
91-510 - Amistad (Texas) - Park Closures From Heavy Rains
Due to heavy rains in the area around the park over the past
week, Amistad was forced to close its campgrounds and one road
for a day. The lake also rose three feet in two days and forced
the temporary closure of a boat ramp. No damage to persons or
property occurred in the park from either the rains or rising
lake waters, but some damage did occur on the Mexican side of
the river when water was released from the dam. The rains
diminished on Friday, thereby making it possible for the
season's largest big bass tournament to take place. [Debra
Nordeen, CI, AMIS, via CompuServe message from Bonnie Winslow,
RAD/SWRO, 9/23]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Brady in Grand Teton (9/23-9/27).
Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Coffey and Sisto with
rights-of-way work group in WASO (9/23-9/27); Lee and Martin at
health and fitness work group meeting in Arlington, VA
(9/25-9/27); Halainen in Nashville, TN, for FY 91 uniform
contract closeout (9/24-9/26).
Branch of Fire & Aviation: Hurd at NWCG meeting, San Bernadino,
CA (9/25-9/28); Spruill in SWR for aviation evaluation (9/23-9/26);
Gale at U.S.S. Arizona for 50th anniversary preparations
(9/16-9/27); Farrel in NCR and WASO for meetings (9/17-9/27);
Broyles at NWCG fireline safety committee meeting, San Bernadino,
CA (9/24-9/27).
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
Telephone: All Offices FTS 2684874/6039 or 2022084874/6039
Telefax: Branch of R&VP FTS 2686756 or 2022086756
Branch of Fire FTS 2685977 or 2022085977
CompuServe: Branch of R&VP WASO-RANGER
Branch of Fire WASO-FIRE-WO
SEAdog: All Offices 1/650