National Capital Parks-East (DC)
Car Theft Suspect Shot, Arrested
A Park Police officer spotted a stolen Jeep Cherokee in the area of
Fort Dupont Park in southeast Washington around
7 p.m. on February 15th. A short pursuit ensued, with the
driver eventually stopping, bailing out, and fleeing into an alley. The
officer attempted to capture him. A scuffle ensued and the man was shot.
He then fled the area and entered park woods. A Park Police canine
officer arrived on the scene and searched the woods, finding the injured
man. He was arrested and transported to a local hospital, where he was
treated and released into the custody of the Park Police. The man was
charged with numerous violations, including assault on a police officer
and unauthorized use of a vehicle (stolen car). The investigation is
ongoing.
[Submitted by Sergeant Scott R. Fear, USPP]
Blue Ridge Parkway
Car Found Submerged in Lake with Victim Inside
On the evening of February 24th, D.F. called the
Amherst County Sheriff's Office and reported that his wife, C.F., was
missing. He'd last talked with her via cell phone as she was driving
along the parkway in the Big Island District. He searched for her when
she failed to return home, and found her vehicle submerged in Otter Lake
the following morning. Rangers Gene Parker and Bobby Miller responded
along with local officers and rescue and fire personnel. Rescue squad
divers verified that the vehicle matched the description of
C.F.'s vehicle, but could not gain access to the car's interior. It
was removed from the lake, and her body was found inside. Parker served
as IC for the incident; Miller will investigate with county officers.
There is no suspicion of foul play at this time. [Chief Rangers Office]
[Submitted by Chief Rangers Office]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Servicewide
2003 Visitation Figures Released
The Public Use Statistics Office in Denver has released tables showing the most visited units and most visited national parks and 2003 and the visitation totals for each year since 1916.
Click on "More Information" below to see the document.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Canyonlands National Park (UT)
Tony Schetzsle Named Superintendent
DENVER — Tony Schetzsle, a 24-year veteran of the National Park Service (NPS), has been named superintendent of Canyonlands National Park, according to Intermountain Regional Director Steve Martin. Schetzsle is expected to begin his new assignment on April 18.
"Tony is an extremely capable public servant with a unique blend of skills and experience that will serve him well as superintendent at Canyonlands National Park," said Regional Director Steve Martin. "He listens to local concerns and makes responsible decisions that are committed to good stewardship and to the protection of our natural and cultural resources."
"Once again, I am privileged to work on behalf of the National Park Service at Canyonlands National Park," said Schetzsle. "It is truly one of the great American landscapes that offers the best of our natural and cultural heritage, as well as an unforgettable recreational experience for all who come seeking to refresh themselves. Hattie and I look forward to renewing old friendships and settling into the community."
Schetzsle is currently serving as the deputy superintendent at Rocky Mountain National Park. Rising from a position as a seasonal park ranger at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Schetzsle has served in leadership capacities in major park units in the System including park ranger at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, district ranger at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Montana, chief ranger at Canyonlands National Park, superintendent at Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Montana, and finally returning full circle to Canyonlands National Park.
During Schetzsle's tenure as deputy superintendent at Rock Mountain National Park, he was involved in a number of highly visible projects including the development of an agreement between the NPS, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and a number of other partners, in the implementation of an Elk and Vegetation Management Plan. He currently serves on the steering committee for Rocky Mountain Inventory and Monitoring Network, and on the NPS committee to review policy for response, monitoring and treatment of chronic wasting disease in elk and deer population in units of the national park system.
While serving as superintendent at Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site (1994-1999), Schetzsle was designated by the Secretary of the Interior to represent the Department on the Montana Governor's Advisory Council regarding the remediation and restoration of the Upper Clark Fork River Basin.
Schetzsle is the recipient of numerous awards including an Award of Recognition, received from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, for his critical role in the rehabilitation and adaptive use of the historic McGraw Ranch as a research center within Rocky Mountain National Park. He has also received a Program Excellence for Cultural Resource Management Award, and a Superior Service Honor Award from the National Park Service.
A native of Lafayette, Indiana, Schetzsle is a 1979 Graduate of Humboldt State University in California, with a bachelor's degree in natural resource planning and interpretation. He is a Vietnam era veteran, having served in the U.S Air Force approximately 4 years.
Schetzsle and his wife, Hattie, have two children. Their son, Brian, attends the University of Colorado, and Todd is a senior at Estes Park High School.
Schetzsle replaces former superintendent Jerry Banta, who retired from the National Park Service earlier this year.
--- NPS ---
[Submitted by Patricia Turley, patricia_turley@nps.gov, 505-988-6745]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.