NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Wednesday, January 31, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-26 - Saguaro (Arizona) - Assault on Park Ranger; Double Homicide

On the evening of Saturday, January 27th, ranger Jon Hale attempted to stop a
Ford Bronco travelling at a high rate of speed through the park.  When Hale
activated his emergency lights and siren, the vehicle accelerated and the
driver attempted to elude pursuit.  Hale broke off the chase when he lost sight
of the Bronco while on a dirt road adjacent to the park boundary.  Moments
later, however, he spotted the Bronco coming back at him at a high rate of
speed; before he could react, the Bronco rammed his patrol vehicle almost head-
on, then continued on back into the park.  Hale was not injured and was able to
crawl out of his vehicle and continue coordination of assistance from backup
officers heading to the scene.  The Bronco was found abandoned in the park a
half mile away only minutes later.  A search for the suspect(s) was conducted
with the assistance of canine units and a state police helicopter, but proved
fruitless.  Two partially covered bodies were found in the rear of the Bronco
during evidence processing several hours later.  Investigation revealed that
both men had been shot in the head in execution style and had been wrapped in
plastic bags.  The sheriff's office is leading the investigation for double
homicide, aggravated assault, hit and run and criminal damage.  Rangers are
assisting homicide detectives in this effort and are also coordinating
additional assistance from the FBI.  Intense media coverage continues.  [Robert
E. Stinson, DR, SAGU]

96-27 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Carjacking; Robbery

Two men attempted to carjack a visitor's four-wheel-drive GMC truck from the
park's campground on the afternoon of January 29th.  They pulled the driver
from the truck while he was unhitching it from a motorhome, drove through the
campground loops in attempt to flee the area, then drove off the road for about
a mile until they reached a paved access road, where rangers were waiting. 
They drove around the ranger vehicles, but subsequently crashed into a wash
embankment, abandoned the truck, and fled on foot.  Rangers secured the area
and began watching for the suspects.  About two hours later, they spotted one
of the two men.  Rangers Brent Pennington, Rich Finerty and Susan Hughes
arrested him.  The man, who proved to be an undocumented alien, was intoxicated
and suffered from cuts and bruises sustained in the accident.  The victim and
witnesses identified him as the assailant and driver, and he later confessed to
and was charged with aggravated robbery.  His accomplice was not located.  This
is the first case of carjacking to ever occur in the park.  [Aniceto L. Olais,
CR, ORPI]

96-28 - Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - Assist; Armed Confrontation

On the afternoon of January 25th, rangers monitoring their scanners heard a
report of a motor vehicle accident at the entrance to Indiana Dunes State Park. 
The driver, E.H., 36, had gotten out of his car and pointed a handgun
at state employees who had stopped to render assistance.  Rangers Mark Gorman
and Mimi Brunet were the first to arrive on scene.  E.H. displayed a loaded
AK-47 rifle and demanded that the two rangers shoot him.  Rangers Gordon Zwick
and Bill Tadych soon arrived, along with local and state officers.  The area
was secured, and negotiations with E.H. were begun.  At one point he laid
down the rifle and appeared to be surrendering, but then pulled a 9mm semi-
automatic pistol from a waist holster and pointed it at the rangers and
officers.  E.H. continued to demand that they shoot and kill him.  He was
subdued by state DNR officers about 30 minutes later after being distracted and
lured away from his car.  A search of his vehicle and person led to the
discovery and seizure of a half-empty bottle of vodka, numerous unknown pills,
the AK-47, the 9mm pistol, a .380 semi-automatic pistol and a shotgun. 
Investigators found that E.H. had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and
that he'd traveled to the park to take his life.  The case was turned over to
local agencies for further investigation.  Indiana Dunes has concurrent
jurisdiction with the state of Indiana within the state park.  [Rich
Littlefield, CR, INDU]

96-29 - Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico) - Accident with Injury

B.J., 28, son of a seasonal law enforcement ranger who works at the
park, was seriously injured in a one-vehicle accident on a park road around
midnight on January 22nd.  B.J.'s Toyota Land Cruiser rolled over and he was
ejected through a window.  He suffered head and chest injuries and a fractured
leg and is now in a coma in a hospital in Lubbock, Texas.  An investigation is
underway.  [Gary Vequist, CR, CACA]

96-30 - Cumberland Gap (Kentucky/Tennessee/Virginia) - Poaching Convictions

During the 1995 season, rangers apprehended a dozen people for possession of
ginseng within the park.  Ten cases have so far gone to court, all resulting in
convictions and fines of $250, plus $5 for each plant root in the person's
possession.  The maximum fine to date - $2,040 - was imposed on G.B. of
Pineville, Kentucky.  The price of ginseng exceeded $400 per pound last year,
and is expected to rise in 1996.  [Charles Chadwell, SPR, CUGA]

96-31 - Cumberland Gap (Kentucky/Tennessee/Virginia) - Assist; Felony Arrest

While investigating a minor motor vehicle accident on January 14th, rangers
Elizabeth Dinger-Glisan and Charles Chadwell discovered that the driver, L.C.,
was wanted on outstanding warrants.  He was arrested, but was able to
bond out by utilizing large amounts of cash in his possession.  This prompted
further investigation into his activities by local authorities, and led to the
discovery that L.C. and his wife were members of a six-person gang which had
burglarized several drug stores, distributed narcotics, and are suspected of
several bank burglaries.  The FBI, DEA and at least six other law enforcement
agencies are now involved in the investigation.  L.C. was able to elude
authorities for several days until he was apprehended in Tennessee.  The
investigation is continuing.  [Charles Chadwell, SPR, CUGA]

96-32 - Kennesaw Mountain (Georgia) - HazMat Evacuation

Around 9:30 a.m. on January 29th, the park was notified that a chemical plant
located less than a half mile from the park boundary was emitting sulfur
dioxide into the atmosphere and that winds were carrying it directly toward the
visitor center and mountain top.  Rangers evacuated the visitor center,
mountain overlook and nearby trails.  ICS was implemented by the Marietta fire
department to manage the incident.  Once the park was secured, the rangers were
assigned to traffic control to establish a safe perimeter around the plant.  It
was learned that the sulfur dioxide had been inadvertently created when 24,000
pounds of chemicals were improperly mixed.  The emission lasted about 45
minutes.  There were no reported injuries inside the park, but a total of six
people were taken to a hospital from the area.  Two were admitted for
observation.  ICS was terminated at 12:30 p.m.  [CRO, KEMO]

96-33 - National Capital Parks (D.C.) - HazMat Incident

Hazardous materials specialists Ernie Ralston (WASO) and Julia Heritt (NCFA)
recently conducted an inspection of areas in NCFA to determine if any hazardous
materials had washed ashore during the recent floods.  They discovered two
sunken vessels and several drums of unknown materials at the Seafarers Yacht
Club, a park lessee on the Anacostia River.  They also detected a strong
chemical odor in several areas on club property.  The Coast Guard, a city
hazmat unit and a hazmat disposal unit were contacted, and the area was closed. 
Investigation revealed that the drums, which contained old gasoline, had been
illegally dumped.  Additional drums were found at the north end of the site.  A
boom was set in the water near the sea wall to prevent further seepage into the
river, soil samples were taken, and the drums were prepared for disposal.  The
FBI has been notified, and the investigation continues.  [Bill Lynch, LES,
NCFAO]

96-34 - New River Gorge (West Virginia) - Assist; Rescues

Park staff were asked to participate in a multi-agency emergency ICS operation
to rescue people from river flooding on January 19th.  The Greenbrier River had
flooded numerous towns along its banks near the park.  The Hinton and Grandview
subdistricts provided two three-person teams and a motorized cataraft rescue
boat.  On January 20th, one team assisted in the rescue of a man and his
pregnant wife from the attic window of their home, just before flood waters
rose to the attic level.  On the 21st, another team rescued a couple from a
boat in a frozen lake surrounding their farm.  Both had become hypothermic from
trying to rescue their trapped farm animals.  The woman was taken to a local
hospital, and 16 cows and horses were herded to safety by the cataraft along a
path broken through the ice.  The Greenbrier flows into the New River near
Bluestone Dam; New River waters crested at the highest level in the dam's 50-
year history.  Damage assessments and hazardous material inventories are still
being conducted throughout New River Gorge.  [Duncan Hollar, DR, NERI]

96-35 - Patuxent NWR (Maryland) - Assist; Triple Homicide

Park Police officers are investigating the murder of three women whose bodies
were found on a remote roadway in the refuge on January 27th.  Park Police
provide law enforcement and criminal investigations on the refuge through an
agreement with the Fish and Wildlife Service.  The women, all in their early
20s, had each been shot at least once; two had extensive bruises and abrasions,
and may have been thrown from a vehicle.  The victims were friends and were
last seen leaving their homes to go out "partying" in the city.  [Bill Lynch,
LES, NCFAO]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

El Malpais (New Mexico) - Suspension of Grazing

BLM has issued a decision suspending grazing on the largest grazing allotment
in the park for two years.  This action effectively terminates grazing on the
38,000-acre park portion of the allotment, since, by legislation, all grazing
terminated in the park on December 31, 1997.  The lessee on another allotment
changed in November, thus terminating grazing on another 12,200 acres within
the park, also in compliance with the enabling legislation.  Of the 81.700
acres allotted to grazing when the park was established, only about 29,000
acres are still being grazed.  [Ken Mabery, MA, ELMA]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

OBSERVATIONS

Today's observation, from a noted author who has often written on land use
planning issues, was sent along by Jack Mosby in the Alaska Field Area Office:

"I am convinced that Americans have literally lost the ability to think about
their surroundings, and for a specific reason.  Historically, Americans have
not had a high regard for the public realms, and this is a very unfortunate
thing, because the public realm is the physical manifestation of the public
good.  When you degrade the public realms, as we have, you degrade the common
good, and hence you impair the ability of a group of people incorporated as a
republic to think about the public interest."

                                     James Howard Kunstler, "Planning
                                     Commissioners Journal", Winter, 1995

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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