NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Friday, December 13, 2013
INCIDENTS
New River Gorge NR
Women Sentenced In Negligent Homicide Case
In June of 2012, rangers, local fire and EMS personnel, and Fayette County deputies responded to a report of a single car accident on McKendree Road. First responders found the car on its top, over an embankment and off the roadway, with two people trapped inside.
Rangers assisted Oak Hill VFD and local EMS with the extrication and evacuation of the driver and passenger. Shortly after being extricated from the car, the passenger, a 17-year-old boy, was pronounced dead at the scene. The young woman who was driving was flown by medevac helicopter to Charleston.
Rangers led the investigation throughout the rest of the night and met with members of the boy's family and the state medical examiner's office at the hospital. Over the next several months, the case was investigated and ultimately presented to the US Attorney's Office.
On August 26th, the woman appeared in federal court and pled guilty to 18 USC § 13, a federal regulation that assimilates state laws, and the West Virginia state regulation for negligent homicide (DUI).
On December 9th, the woman appeared in court, apologized to the family for her actions, and was sentenced by the judge to the maximum penalty of 12 months incarceration followed by 12 months of supervised release.
[Jeff West, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's InsideNPS. To see the full text, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the Morning Report web page ( HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/" http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/):
National Capital Region - President Barack Obama lighted the National Christmas Tree at the 91st annual holiday tree lighting ceremony on the Ellipse in President's Park last Friday.
Chickasaw NRA - Chickasaw National Recreation Area's new patrol boat arrived just in time for the holidays. Rangers decorated and entered it in a local holiday parade, where it received an award.
Park Facility Management Division - On January 3rd, Jeri Mihalic, a 38-year employee of the National Park Service, will retire from her position as a training coordinator for the Park Facility Management Division.
Park Facility Management Division - On January 11th, Betsy Dodson, a 27-year employee of the National Park Service, will retire from her position as a training manager for the WASO Park Facility Management Division.
US Park Police - Deputy Chief Victor L. Chapman will be retiring from the Park Police on December 28th, bringing to a close a career that began in December 1988.
US Park Police - Major Patrick C. Smith has been promoted to deputy chief and acting assistant chief of police, effective Sunday, December 15th.
Servicewide Training Calendar - A compilation of upcoming training courses, webinars and online training offered by the National Park Service and related agencies.
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The Morning Report is produced by the Office of Communications with the support of the Office of the Associate Director for Information Resources. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov).
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