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