NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

INCIDENTS

Blue Ridge Parkway

Two Arraigned In Major Drug Distribution Case

Based on intelligence obtained from a Forest Service special agent, a marijuana patch was discovered on USFS property adjacent to the park last September. A surveillance operation was conducted and two men were seen accessing and entering the patch from the parkway. The pair harvested 3,800 plants totaling more than 450 pounds. They were arrested after they loaded their vehicle and were about to leave the area. The two men - M.G. and J.S. - were found to be involved in a marijuana drug trafficking organization operating in Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Nevada, Nebraska, and California. They were arraigned on January 28th on federal conspiracy charges involving the distribution and the possession with the intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. The two men were part of a ring that investigators believe distributed more than 12 tons of marijuana around the country. Last November, a federal grand jury in Greeneville, Tennessee, indicted 33 people on 22 separate drug and weapons charges, marking the culmination of a major interagency investigation code-named “Operation Talisman” that involved dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement organizations, [Tim Francis, Pisgah District Ranger]

Grand Canyon NP

Rangers Successfully Intervene In Suicide Attempts

Last month, rangers successfully intervened in three separate suicide attempts made by two park residents. The first instance occurred early on the morning of January 16th. Ranger Jason Montoya was patrolling on West Rim Drive when a vehicle approached from the opposite direction at a high rate of speed and partially in the opposing lane. Montoya pursued, found the vehicle already stopped in the road when he caught up, and made a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle, identified as a local Grand Canyon resident, was noticeably intoxicated. When asked where he was going, he said that he was “driving to the Abyss to jump off.” The Abyss is a popular viewpoint on the South Rim with a 3,000 foot vertical drop. He was arrested without incident for driving under the influence. An interview with the man's roommate revealed that he'd been depressed recently and that he'd been drinking heavily. When the roommate returned home, he found that the man was missing and that he'd left several personal items for him, so assumed that he'd committed suicide by jumping from the rim. A week later, on January 22nd, rangers were dispatched to Colter Hall, a concession dorm within the park, to deal with an intoxicated woman, but found that she'd been put to bed in her room. As they were leaving the dorm, she ran out of her room, down the stairs, and toward the rim, saying that she was going to jump. The rangers caught her before she could do so. She was detained under Title 36 (the Baker Act) and transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for evaluation. On the evening of January 24th, rangers were again dispatched to Colter Hall to deal with a drunk and suicidal woman. When they arrived, they found it was the same woman. She was in the process of writing a suicide note when rangers entered her room. After a struggle, she was again detained and transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for further evaluation. [Chief Rangers Office]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

Lake Clark NP&P - The surge in activity of Redoubt Volcano has park staff on alert, making preparations for all eventualities and educating the public on what's going on.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7335" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7335

NPS/LETC - The results of an investigation into a shotgun explosion that occurred during firearms training at Colonial last November have been posted to the web and are available for review.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7336" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7336

Eastern National - The winners of the photo contest for the 2009 NPS passport have been announced.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7337" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7337

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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363

Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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