Hot Springs |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-current. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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Friday, January 5, 1987 Location: West Mountain Road A liquor store owner and his wife were abducted from Hot Springs on New Year's Eve following a robbery of their store. The two were taken into the park, where the woman was sexually assaulted at gun point. The assailant then had the couple return him to town. Good physical evidence and a composite have been obtained, and the FBI and us Attorney's office are involved. The MO employed in this incident was similar to another which occurred in the town in December, and authorities feel that an arrest is likely.
The park experienced major flooding over the past weekend. During Saturday night and Sunday morning, just under 13" of rain fell on Hot Springs, bringing the total rainfall for the year to 22" above normal. Water entered the stores across the street from Bathhouse Row to a typical depth of from two and a half to three feet. Although preliminary inspections revealed that there hadn't been any flooding on the ground floor of any of the bathhouses, their basements were flooded to the ceilings. The flooding in the basement of the newly-renovated Fordyce Bathhouse inundated the main electrical panels, the controls and motors for the building's heating, ventilating and airconditioning system, the only public restrooms in visitor center, and the storage room for ENPMA sales items. Preliminary cleanup of the collapsed ceiling and floating debris has permitted access to the basement. The impact of the flood on the park's thermal water supply is a primary concern. The basement of the administrative building houses the park's main thermal water collection reservoir. The principal water lines from the underground creek arch apparently tore loose, causing significant damage to the water monitoring weirs. Flood waters also buried the two main pumping motors under nine feet of water. The water reservoirs are undoubtedly contaminated by the flood waters, and all thermal water supplies to the fountains and bathhouses have been shut down. The park has not yet been able to estimate when the pumps can be replaced and the storage system decontaminated. Elsewhere in the park, the West Mountain Drive was closed by mudslides and fallen trees. Park maintenance personnel had the main commuter route opened by Sunday, but the spur road to the summit remains closed due to a mudslide. (CompuServe message from HOSP to RAD/SWRO, relayed by telefax to RAD/WASO, 9 a.m. EDT, 5/21/90).
Clean-up work was underway throughout the park yesterday. The park is employing the incident command system to evaluate and tackle flood problems. Analysis of the needed organization is underway, and personnel duty assignments have begun. The damage has been considerable: * Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center - The building remains closed and without telephone service and the telephone company estimates that it will be two weeks before phones are restored. Electricity has been restored to the Fordyce for lighting, but the building has no functioning air conditioning. Almost the entire sales stock in the ENPMA storage area was lost. Basement sheetrock walls need replacement. Air handling equipment at the rear of the basement suffered an undetermined amount of water damage. Flood waters and silt entered the sealed Fordyce Spring viewing box. The main utilities control room flooded, submerging the main electrical panels and the building heating, ventilating and air conditioning controls, valves and circulating motors. The HVAC system ruptured. Most of the doors are warped and peeled beyond repair. * Administrative headquarters building - The telephones are out here, too, and will not be restored for at least two weeks. The water in the basement has been pumped down to where the thermal water supply pumps can be removed and repaired. The system will probably not supply water for about a week. The pumps and mechanical systems will have to be repaired, the collection and storage reservoirs decontaminated, and the water tested as safe by the state health department. The USGS was advised that the weir system had been damaged, and they plan to visit the park today. * Bathhouses - Superior Bathhouse was found to have taken in about a foot of water on the first floor. Other bathhouses have broken doors and windows and need massive clean-up. * Whittington Park - Some of the rock and masonry wall in the creek was lost, a major tree fell and there's been some erosion. * Campground - Erosion occurred alongside the creek retaining wall, fire grilles have been washed out, the riprap wall is gone, the drain pipe is leaking at all joints, and silt and gravel have been deposited. * Trails - Some very severe erosion has occurred on trails and many trees are down. * Hot Spring Mountain - The contractor was able to open the Carriage Road to visitors at noon on Monday, permitting them access to the Mountain Tower. * West Mountain Drive - The route to the summit has nearly been cleared. (CompuServe message from HOSP via RAD/SWRO, midnight EDT, 5/23/90).
Cleanup continues in the park following last week's flooding. The Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center had a busy weekend with 1,300 visitors each day on Saturday and Sunday. Removal of the walls, metal studs, duct insulation and suspended ceiling framing has been begun in the Fordyce. Thermal waters were tested and approved by the Little Rock municipal water department laboratory over the weekend, and all fountains and bathhouses received thermal water on Monday. Job Corps crews from the Ouachita National Forest are assisting on cleanup and filling of erosion ditches. Heavy rains arrived as forecast yesterday, however, so operations were temporarily suspended. ((3ompuServe message from HOSP-CR received and forwarded by RAD/SWRO, 11 p.m. EDT, 5/30).
Park personnel discovered the body of a baby at the Gulpha Gorge campground late on the morning of February 1st. The body has been sent to the state medical examiner's office, and rangers and FBI agents have begun an investigation. Further information to follow. [CompuServe message from CR, HOSP, via Phil Young, RAD/SWRO, 2/2]
On October 27th, a Hot Springs couple was driving with an acquaintance on Gulpha Gorge Road when the third party shot both the husband and wife twice, then sexually assaulted the woman. The assailant then forced the woman back into the car, drove to another location, and assaulted her again. During this time, the husband was found by a citizen and was taken to a hospital, where he gave the police a statement and a description of the vehicle. Hot Springs police and Garland County deputies subsequently located the vehicle and arrested the suspect without incident. The woman was taken to a hospital, where she is currently reported to be in good condition. Her husband is in stable condition in an intensive care unit. The weapon used in the assault, a .22 caliber revolver, has been recovered, and the suspect has been arraigned. Further information to follow. [Rod Harris, HOSP, via telefax from Jim Radney, LES, RAD/SWRO, 10/28]
On October 18, 1991, a pair of men employing a sawed-off shotgun robbed two elderly women in an area of state jurisdiction, then robbed two local visitors on the park's Grand Promenade. The next day, rangers responded to a police radio broadcast of an armed robbery involving a sawed-off shotgun in a nearby residence and subsequently chased and apprehended the two men. One was recently sentenced to 81 months in federal district court; the other received a 41 month term. [CompuServe message from RAD/SWRO, 5/18]
On October 27, 1991, a Hot Springs couple was driving with an acquaintance, G.W.B., on Gulpha Gorge Road in the park when G.W.B. shot both the husband and wife twice, sexually assaulted the woman, and kidnapped her in their vehicle. G.W.B. was subsequently arrested, and rangers and FBI agents investigated the case. Following proceedings in federal district court, G.W.B. was sentenced to 240 months in prison, followed by five years of probation. [CompuServe message from RAD/SWRO, 5/18]
On the evening of May 22nd, a 32-year-old woman was driving south on Gulpha Gorge Road near Sleepy Valley Road when she came upon a man lying near the shoulder of the road. When she stopped and approached him to offer assistance, he jumped up and ran towards her, catching her near the car door. As they struggled, he produced a semi-automatic handgun and fired two shots as she re-entered her vehicle, hitting her in the upper right thigh. He then fled into the woods. The victim drove to a friend's home nearby; she was subsequently driven to a local hospital, where she was treated and released. Ranger Terry Gross and Hot Springs officers interviewed her at the hospital. She was able to describe her assailant, and a search for him was begun. Although it was fruitless, the investigation continues. The FBI has been notified and is cooperating in the investigation along with Hot Springs police. The car was towed to the park ranger station to be processed for evidence. [Terry Gross, HOSP, via telefax from Jim Radney, RLES, RAD/MWRO, 5/27]
A twin-engine Beech aircraft crashed into West Mountain just before noon on January 10th, killing all three occupants. Two were local businessmen; the third was the pilot. Names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Hot Springs police, rangers, and FAA representatives were at the scene at the time of the report, and NTSB representatives were on the way. The aircraft was on an instrument flight from Natchez, Mississippi, to Hot Springs. It descended below radar coverage on its approach to Hot Springs and disappeared. Fog was obscuring the mountain tops at the time of the accident. [Rod Harris, HOSP, 1/10]
Last September, rangers Ron Harkins and Tim Fincham stopped a vehicle driven by R.P. of Benton, Arkansas, on suspicion of driving while impaired, and cited her for driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a drug screen. During the search incident to the arrest, rangers found five bags of methamphetamine and about 60 grams of nicotinamide. She was subsequently charged with possession of controlled substances. R.P. was found guilty, and, on February 7th, was sentenced to three years' probation, with participation in a substance abuse program and testing, and 40 hours of community service; fined $2,500; ordered to submit her person, residence, office and vehicle to reasonable searches; required to warn others with her that of this condition; and ordered to forfeit her 1992 Eagle Talon sports car (valued at $10,000) to the government. [CR, HOSP, 2/15]
On June 26th, a visitor hiking just off a trail on Hot Springs Mountain came upon the body of S.W., 82, of Hot Springs. S.W. had apparently been killed three to four days previously. The agent in charge of the Hot Springs FBI office characterized the killing as "an exceptionally brutal murder." Specific details are not yet being released, but suspects have been identified in the local area. The investigation is being conducted by rangers and FBI agents in conjunction with staff at the state crime lab. [Rod Harris, CR, HOSP]
A citizen called the city police department to report a loud disturbance in the park's Grand Promenade walkway around 9:30 p.m. on July 10th. Responding rangers found a man leading an 18-year-old woman out of the woods. Both showed signs of physical trauma consistent with a struggle. The young woman said that she'd recently broken off a relationship with the man, identified as K.S., and that K.S. had forcibly raped her in the wooded area. Rangers later learned that K.S. had just attempted suicide in his room at the Arkansas State Rehabilitation Center. A knife was found in the woods the following day that matched the woman's description of the knife K.S. had employed. The investigation is continuing. [Rod Harris, CR, HOSP]
On June 26, 1995, a visitor hiking just off a trail on Hot Springs Mountain came upon the body of S.W., 82, of Hot Springs. S.W., a retired U.S. Farmers Home Administration employee, had apparently been killed three to four days previously. The agent in charge of the Hot Springs FBI office at the time characterized the killing as "an exceptionally brutal murder." T.I. and J.P. were subsequently arrested for the murder. T.I., now 21 years old, was found guilty of the murder on June 3rd, and sentenced on June 6th to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The government had sought the death penalty for the murder. Lengthy testimony was given at the trial by ranger James O'Donnell and by local FBI agent Tom Ross. The trial for J.P., T.I.'s alleged accomplice, will begin on June 16th. [Rod Harris, CR, HOSP, 6/7]
On June 26, 1995, a visitor hiking just off a trail on Hot Springs Mountain came upon the body of S.W., 82, of Hot Springs. S.W., a retired U.S. Farmers Home Administration employee, had apparently been killed three to four days previously. T.I. and J.P. were subsequently arrested for the murder. T.I. was found guilty of the murder on June 3rd and sentenced on June 6th to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On June 23rd, a jury found J.P. guilty as well, and sentenced him to death two days later. The government had sought the death penalty for both men. [Rod Harris, CR, HOSP, 6/26]
On the morning of September 20th, two area fishermen found a body floating in Lake Ouachita, about 20 miles from the park. Initial investigation shows that the murder apparently occurred within the park and that the body was removed in an attempt at concealment. Arrested for the murder were T.C., 41, and J.C., 28, both residents of Hot Springs. Since the park is an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction, it is likely that state first-degree murder charges will be dismissed and that charges will be filed in federal district court in Arkansas. Identification of the victim is awaiting confirmation from the state crime lab. The case is being jointly investigated by the NPS, FBI and Garland County sheriff's department. [Rod Harris, HOSP, 9/23]
On Tuesday, January 20th, the city of Hot Springs received a telephoned bomb threat against the Hot Springs Mountain Tower, a concession-operated observation tower and gift shop in the park. The facility and parking lot were evacuated and sealed off. An explosives sniffing dog team from Jacksonville Air Force Base was brought in to search the structure the following morning. The dog alerted on a wall-mounted speaker box several times. An emergency ordnance disposal team was summoned from the Army's Pine Bluff Arsenal. The team employed a portable x-ray machine to inspect the box. X-ray images showed nothing suspicious, so the box was opened and inspected. No explosives were found. The tower was reopened for business. [Rod Harris, CR, HOSP, 1/21]
Ranger Dennis Stock stopped a vehicle being driven erratically on Gorge Road a half hour past midnight on June 12, 1998. The driver, R.E., 36, attempted to flee after exiting the vehicle. Stock pursued R.E. and wrestled him to the ground, but R.E. was able to get free, strike Stock in the head with closed fists, knocking off Stock's prescription glasses, then run off. Stock returned to his patrol vehicle to get a second pair of glasses and call for backup. Efforts to find R.E. were unsuccessful, but he was later located, arrested, and charged with violation of 18 USC 111 (assault on a federal officer). On January 12th, R.E. pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge. He was sentenced to serve 10 months in prison, followed by a year of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to Stock for his damaged uniform items. [Rod Harris, HOSP, 1/12]
The park observation tower concession cashier saw two men climbing over a rock wall adjacent to the tower around 3 p.m. on September 17th. They were wearing black ski masks; one carried a sawed-off shotgun, the other a machete. The cashier and two other employees locked themselves in an office, leaving six park visitors in the lobby. The masked men unsuccessfully attempted to gain entry into the office, then left the tower after striking a surveillance camera with the machete. No one was harmed and nothing was stolen. Rangers, city police, state troopers and FBI agents responded immediately to the concession employee's call for help. The men were not located, but the masks, shotgun and machete were found in a duffel bag on an apartment building porch the following day. Further investigation by rangers and FBI agents led to the identification of two teenage suspects. They have been questioned, and the U.S. attorney's office has been contacted for guidance. The two had apparently been contemplating robbing either the tower or the county fair. [Bruce Cunningham, LES, MWRO, 9/21]
The park reported yesterday that it was in the midst of an extremely hazardous ice storm. Many trees and power and phone lines are down in both the park and city. The park is closed and operating in an emergency mode. Law enforcement rangers and maintenance crews remain on duty. [Steve Rudd, CR, HOSP, 12/27]
A man reportedly robbed an evening clerk at the Libby Physical Medicine Center, a park concessioner, around 7 p.m. on August 8th. The Libby is located directly across the street from the park's protection office and provides physical therapy, thermal baths and whirlpools to the public. The 35- to 40-year-old man was holding a towel over the lower part of his face. He demanded all the money in the cash register and threatened to use a gun if his demands weren't met. Although the clerk was alone at the time, she initially balked at the demand. The man then made a move to reach under his shirt, at which point she complied. The weapon was never actually seen, and she was not injured. The man fled on foot. A search by NPS staff and by Hot Springs police proved fruitless. The FBI has been advised of the incident and will be assisting in the investigation. The amount stolen is not certain, but is believed to have been around $1,000. [Steve Rudd, CR, HOSP, 8/9]
A fire was spotted in the Libbey Memorial Physical Medicine Center/Hot Springs Health Spa around 1 a.m. on the morning of Wednesday, October 9. The building is operated by a park concessioner. The fire apparently started from a candle left burning after hours in a massage room on the second floor. There was fire damage to the room, and the blaze spread to adjoining areas. The city fire department responded and suppressed the fire quickly. The greatest impact on the building was caused by smoke. Damage estimates and repairs are underway. Most repairs should be completed by the weekend, and the Libbey remains open. The concessioner was/is aware that candles are prohibited in the building. [Submitted by Roger Giddings, Superintendent]
Two couples were robbed by three assailants in the West Mountain
Summit area of the park around 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 13th. The
two robberies occurred just 15 minutes apart and were geographically
close to each other. Purses, wallets, car keys and credit cards were
taken. As the robbers left the area, one of them fired a weapon -
evidently to scare the victims, who were trying to identify the getaway
vehicle. Nobody was hurt. All three men were identified. One of them was
already in custody at the time of the report, and arrests of the other
two were pending. Rangers worked with county and state officers to
investigate the robberies and make the arrests. The FBI has joined in,
and the U.S. attorney has been notified.
On the morning of Sunday, September 5th, the city's dispatch center
notified the park that a body had been found in Whittington Creek within
the park. The FBI was notified, and they dispatched their rapid response
evidence team. A joint investigation by the park, FBI and Hot Springs PD
was begun. The victim was identified as J.B., 45, of Hot
Springs. He was found lying face down in about a foot of water; there
was no evidence of foul play. J.B. had shared a residence with a
woman near the spot where he was found. Officers interviewed her and
found that the pair had had a fight early the previous evening and that
she'd essentially kicked him out. J.B. was taking a prescription
medication for depression and had consumed between 10 to 12 cans of beer
in her presence. This was not the first such fight that they'd had.
Rangers had contacted J.B. around 11
p.m. on Saturday night along the Grand Promenade regarding a closure
violation. He appeared coherent and was cooperative, so rangers allowed
him to leave the area on foot. The FBI and coroner found a prescription
bottle for benzodiazepine on his person, with about half the pills
missing. When ingested with a large amount of alcohol, such a mixture
would have normally been extremely debilitating. Whittington Creek is
contained within a manmade stone channel at the point where the death
occurred. The channel is made of stone blocks with many sharp edges.
Investigators believe that J.B. was severely impaired, lost his
balance, fell into the creek and drowned.
Ranger Jeff Johnson came upon an unsecured and unoccupied white
Chevrolet truck parked on the West Mountain Summit Loop on the afternoon
of May 6th. He saw numerous personal items inside the truck, including
a plastic baggie in plain view that contained what appeared to be
narcotics (six rocks of crack cocaine). Johnson called for backup and
kept the area under surveillance. Within two minutes, he saw the truck
leave the area, with a male driver and a female passenger inside. As he
pulled behind the truck, the driver immediately accelerated. The truck
headed down West Mountain, crossed into oncoming traffic, and nearly
struck ranger Coby Bishop's vehicle head-one at about 80 mph. It then
continued down the mountain and reached Prospect Avenue. After skidding
through a stop sign, it almost hit another oncoming vehicle before
running onto a lawn and flipping over. The driver got out and refused
all commands to surrender. It took the combined efforts of the two
rangers and a Hot Springs city officer to place him under arrest. The
female passenger was trapped underneath the truck and had to be
extricated. She was treated for minor injuries. The driver was arrested
on numerous charges, including a confirmed no-bond warrant. Felony
charges pending against him include possession of a controlled
substance, fleeing with injury, and aggravated assault.
On the morning of October 2nd, rangers stopped a vehicle with an expired tag at West Mountain Summit and observed numerous, small zippered bags in the interior of the vehicle. The female driver and the male passenger appeared nervous and evasive during the contact. Subsequent investigation led to the discovery of a fully functional methamphetamine lab within the vehicle's trunk. Local drug task force personnel were called to process the materials. The female was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Over the past two weeks, rangers have issued 13 citations for various drug related offenses, including narcotic possession, marijuana possession, methamphetamine possession, prescription medication without a prescription, and possession of narcotic paraphernalia (syringes). Another traffic stop resulted in the seizure of 4.4 grams of suspect methamphetamine. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
During the early morning hours of January 6th, a ranger was monitoring Hot Springs PD radio traffic when he heard that a shooting had occurred less than a quarter mile from the park boundary. He was close to the scene and soon saw the suspect running across the street, but without the shotgun he'd reportedly employed in the shooting. He ordered the man to the ground and detained him until the pursuing officer could take him into custody. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
During the late hours of January 19th, Hot Springs Police Department broadcast a call for all available law enforcement officers to respond to a shooting that had just occurred about a quarter mile from the park boundary. A Hot Springs officer had been in the process of detaining four people when one of them attempted to flee. The officer pursued and was fired upon by the fleeing man, who was armed with a handgun. The officer, who was not injured, requested backup, as the man fled into a nearby wooded area. Hot Springs rangers responded with night vision goggles and assisted the canine tracking units. The search was discontinued around midnight when the man was positively identified by his companions. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Rangers received a report of a suicidal man camped illegally at Graves gravel pit just before midnight on February 25th. Rangers and Hot Springs PD backup officers contacted the man, whose torso and arms were covered with blood from a self-inflicted wrist laceration. He refused to comply with commands and threatened the officers at the scene with bodily harm. A ranger used pepper spray on the man, but with no effect - the man told rangers that "I put pepper spray on my breakfast." He was eventually calmed to the point where he could be safely taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was put on a 72-hour hold. He's been charged with interfering with agency functions and with out of bounds camping. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Rangers were flagged down by a highly intoxicated man with diminished mental capacity on the evening of April 12th. They were able to contact his therapy counselor, who told them that she would take custody of the man if the rangers would transport him to the Garland County Sheriff's Office. They did so. When the counselor told the man that she could not let him leave the facility in his current condition, he became belligerent and attempted to strike one of the rangers. The ranger and county booking officers restrained the man and took him to the ground. During the struggle, the man suffered moderate head lacerations and allegedly dislocated his right shoulder and right scapula. He remains in a mental health facility lockdown at this time and has been cited for public intoxication. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
At 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 7th, a ranger on patrol came upon three men attempting to enter a small two-seater sports car on Bull Bayou Road within the park. The ranger contacted them and obtained identification. When the ranger told one of the men that he was under arrest on a misdemeanor warrant, the man fled into nearby woods. The ranger chased him for about a quarter mile down a wooded trail and through a creek. When the man attempted to hide in thick brush, the ranger told him to stop and lie on the ground. He declined to do so and turned to resume his flight. The ranger therefore employed his taser, striking the man in his back and leg and incapacitating him. The man was taken into custody without further incident, charged with fleeing to elude the ranger, and booked on misdemeanor and felony warrants. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On the evening of May 19th, a ranger came upon a vehicle with a taillight out on West Mountain Drive. When he attempted to stop it, the driver first pulled over to the road shoulder, then rapidly accelerated away. A pursuit ensued. The license plate came back to a vehicle that had been stolen in Little Rock earlier that afternoon. Hot Springs officers joined the chase, which came to an end when the driver went up a dead end street. He got out of the car and fled into nearby woods, but the ranger was able to take his passenger into custody. Hot Springs PD dog units and officers attempted to find the driver, but he has so far not been located or identified. The passenger was arrested on felony warrant charges and was found to be a registered sex offender. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On the evening of May 25th, a ranger was dispatched to check out a report of a man passed out on the Canyon trail. When he arrived on scene, he found the man lying by the side of a trail and employed a sternal rub to rouse him. When the ranger told him that he was under arrest for public intoxication and ordered him to stay on the ground, the man instead began to resist the ranger. The ranger called for backup and twice struck the man with his baton. When the second ranger arrived, he told the man that he had to quit resisting or would be tasered. When the man failed to comply, the second ranger used his taser. The man was then taken into custody. He attempted to kick and spit at the rangers and refused to enter the patrol car. The ranger then stunned the man with his taser. The man was taken to the Garland County sheriff's office, where it took the efforts of four booking officers to get him into a holding cell. The man was charged with public intoxication and interference with agency function. This was the second time in three weeks that rangers have used tasers to subdue violent, intoxicated people. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Ranger Jeff Johnson was on patrol on the afternoon of September 29th when he encountered four young men at the Shelter House on North Mountain. All were yelling and laughing loudly. When contacted, they said that they were smoking salvia divinorum, a 'legal drug' that they'd obtained from a local 'head shop,' which had made them high. Johnson attempted to identify the four men. One gave a false name and a social security number that came back to a woman. Johnson attempted to detain him until he could positively identify him, but the man broke free, told Johnson he wasn't going to comply, and began running for the nearby woods. Johnson used his taser on the man's torso and leg, incapacitating him. The man slid about 15 feet on a grassy area and was taken into custody without incident. He was then taken by ambulance to a local hospital, treated and released to law enforcement officials. He was found to have two no-bond warrants posted against him by two separate Arkansas law enforcement agencies. He was cited for providing false information, fleeing and failure to obey a lawful order. For a link to the Wikipedia entry on salvia divinorum, click on HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_divinorum" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_divinorum . [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Ranger David Dunaj came upon a Dodge pickup parked on NPS property near Blacksnake Road on the evening of November 3rd. Dunaj investigated, since the area is frequented by people attempting to retrieve artifacts from within the park. About 100 yards into the woods, Dunaj contacted a man who had apparently been digging for artifacts and had collected several bottles. The man raised a wooden shingle with a nail jutting out of it and advanced toward Dunaj, refusing to comply with commands to drop the weapon and lie on the ground. Dunaj used his taser to incapacitate the man and took him into custody without further incident. He was subsequently charged with disturbing natural features, resisting arrest, possession of prescription narcotics without a prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On September 27th, rangers learned that a sizable number of auto parts had been dumped in the woods off Blacksnake Road. Examination of the site revealed that 30 wraparound plastic front and rear auto bumpers had been dumped in the park. Ranger Jeff Johnson headed the investigation and had them removed. Two front bumper caps were found to have vehicle identification number imprints. Johnson traced the VINs to the registered owners, which in turn lead to a local auto collision center where work had been performed on the associated vehicles. The shop owner supplied the phone number and first name of the man who he claimed had removed the bumpers. Initial efforts to identify and contact the man proved unsuccessful, but Johnson eventually found him - incarcerated in the Garland County jail. He was interviewed at the jail on November 8th and confessed to the dumping. Johnson issued him a mandatory appearance citation. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Protection ranger David Dunaj was heading northbound on Park Avenue on the morning of February 10th when he heard Hot Springs PD broadcast a call about a possible shooting on Bower Street, which is less than a half mile from the park's boundary. Dunaj was the nearest officer in the area and was advised to assist city police. Dunaj and a Hot Springs officer contacted a distraught woman who unlocked the door to her home and told them where to find the victim. They found a man in his 40s lying on the floor in a pool of blood just inside the doorway. The area was searched and secured by Dunaj and the officer, but the assailant(s) had evidently fled. Dunaj assisted with management of the crime scene and ambulance transport of the victim, who was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital. City detectives are investigating. No arrests have yet been made. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Rangers were notified of a dispute among contract employees working on the rehabilitation of historic structures on Bath House Row on the morning of Wednesday, May 16th. They found that a man had made death threats against two other contract employees and that he'd then left the area. The threatened employees reported the incident, then departed to file protection orders. Rangers instituted incident scene safety precautions and learned that the man had fled to the city of Malvern, about 20 miles west of Hot Springs. There he confronted his employer and other employees and made threatening statements. At least one of the employees considered that she was being held against her will and advised that she believed that the man was armed. Malvern officers responded and took the man into custody without incident after a short standoff. He's to appear before a federal judge. The man has prior convictions for rape, statutory rape and aggravated robbery. Federal charges of failing to register as a sex offender and assault are pending. Ranger Luke Johnson is heading the investigation. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On Saturday, June 16th, ranger Jeff Johnson was listening to the Hot Springs police radio when he heard a report of a shooting in progress near the ranger station. Johnson and numerous Hot Springs PD officers arrived at the location shortly thereafter. The first officer on scene advised that shots were still being fired, so Johnson and backup units blocked public access to the area and secured the scene. Eyewitnesses reported that a man had been driving west on Malvern Avenue near the downtown area when he rammed his pickup into the rear of his estranged wife's BMW, forcing the BMW into another sedan. He then got out of the pickup with a shotgun, walked to the car and shot his wife and her female companion at pointblank range. He then returned to the truck, put the shotgun on the seat, removed a handgun, walked back to the BMW and fires several rounds at his wife. He then sat down on the sidewalk and smoked a cigarette while waiting for officers to arrive and take him into custody. He was arrested without incident. The man's wife died from her injuries, but her companion is in stable condition with severe wounds. The incident took place about a half mile from the park's historic Bath House Row district. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Ranger David Anderson was flagged down by a citizen on the evening of July 19th and advised of a disturbance in progress about 40 yards from the ranger station. Anderson notified city police and monitored the situation while awaiting their response. He saw a man assault a woman by throwing a cup at her, then physically striking her. Believing the woman to be in danger of imminent bodily harm, he went to her assistance. The man, seeing him approaching, reached into a vehicle and retrieved an object that he then stuck in his waistband. He would not obey commands to remain still, made repeated movements toward his waistband, then turned to flee. Anderson brought out his taser, which suffered a cartridge malfunction when it was fired. As the man fled from the area, Anderson saw that the item he'd secreted in his waistband was a gun, probably a semi-automatic. He remained on scene with the woman, then searched the immediate area at the request of the arriving officer. A few minutes later, Anderson saw the man walking about two blocks from the scene and took him into custody without incident with the assistance of ranger Luke Johnson. The man, who'd discarded the gun, was booked into jail on various charges and is currently on active parole supervision. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On the morning of November 26th, a jogger on Mountain Top trail on West Mountain discovered what appeared to be human remains, woman's clothing and personal items. The jogger, who went off the trail to chase a cat, discovered the bones and other items in and around a ravine. He called the Hot Springs Police Department, which turned the investigation over to the park since the trail is within exclusive federal jurisdiction. A protection ranger secured the area and notified the FBI. A seven-member FBI Evidence Recovery Team (ERT) headquartered in Little Rock arrived at the scene in mid-afternoon. The ERT will continue to process the scene and collect all the evidence available. The Mountain Top trail will be closed until the investigation and evidence collection is concluded. [Diane East, Management Assistant]
Rangers were notified of the discovery of a body on park land in the woods at the end of Holly Street on the afternoon of July 7th. They secured the scene, then contacted the FBI and asked for assistance. The local FBI evidence response team was dispatched. Preliminary findings indicate that the man was a suicide victim and that he'd been dead for several days. Efforts are underway to identify him, and his body has been sent to the state crime lab for an autopsy. Ranger Amanda DeFriese is the case officer. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On the afternoon of July 10th, a Ford pickup heading north through Hilly Wheatly Plaza, which is adjacent to park headquarters, failed to stop at the Reserve Street intersection and crashed into the front steps of the park's administration building. The driver of the pickup had to be extricated by EMS personnel and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery for his injuries. A number of park maintenance employees were working in the immediate area at the time, but none were injured. Nor were there any injuries to visitors. Witnesses to the accident said that the driver never slowed down and that he exhibited signs of a possible seizure before and after the accident occurred. Rangers are investigating. [Jeff Johnson, Acting Chief Ranger]
Ranger James Latendresse stopped a Dodge truck that was being driven erratically on Gorge Road on Wednesday, November 19th. When he approached the truck, he noted narcotics paraphernalia consistent with methamphetamine manufacture in the truck bed. When Latendresse contacted the driver, he also saw that there was an ephedrine pill soak in plain view on the truck's center console. The operator was arrested and a local drug task force called in to process the scene. The driver was charged by task force officers with possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture methamphetamine, a Class B felony. A criminal history run on the operator revealed numerous prior drug convictions, both misdemeanors and felonies. This was the 36th methamphetamine drug bust in Garland County this year. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Rangers Jeff Johnson and Dennis Stock saw a white Toyota sedan without license plates traveling southbound on Gorge Road on the afternoon of December 18th and pulled it over. The rangers saw the Toyota's three occupants making furtive movements and secreting objects in the car's interior as they approached. When the driver got out of the Toyota for an interview, a small bag of marijuana fell out of his pants leg. A search of the car led to the discovery of two pounds of marijuana packaged in separate one pound plastic Ziploc bags, all stuffed in a Budweiser cardboard box at the feet of one of the passengers, who claimed ownership. He was arrested and turned over to the local drug task force and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
While on boundary patrol last December 20th, ranger Jeff Johnson came upon fresh ATV tracks leading over a berm at the edge of the park off Canterbury Road and heading into the woods. Johnson followed the tracks for about a half mile and discovered a large, freshly-cut, four-foot wide ATV track. The circular track covered an area about a quarter-mile square at the top of a ridge. Trees and brush had been damaged, fire rings marked spots where fires had burned, and there was evidence of paintball activity. Johnson and ranger Jason Flood photographed the entire area, mapped it with GPS coordinates, and inventoried the damage. A Kubota tractor with a front loader was seen operating in a nearby residential area while rangers were interviewing a suspected homeowner. The owner first denied involvement, but subsequently confessed after being confronted with photos of vegetation damage and tire tracks that matched those of the Kubota. The park has since received $2,400 in restitution. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
A car heading east on Coy Street along the park's boundary went off the road and struck a large park oak tree on the evening of March 7th. Hot Springs police and EMS personnel were first on scene. The investigation and autopsy revealed that the 46-year-old male driver died of blunt force trauma. There were no passengers in the vehicle. The crash occurred at a relatively low speed, under 40 mph. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Last November, a Hot Springs officer attempted to stop an unlicensed Nissam Maxima whose driver was believed to have several felony warrants out against him, but the driver refused to stop. A high speed pursuit ensued through the downtown Hot Springs area that reached speeds of 80 mph. The driver eventually went the wrong way up the park's North Mountain exit road, narrowly missing three joggers who had to jump out of the way. After making a circuit of the top loop, the driver headed off the mountain in the same direction, ran a roadblock at the bottom of the hill, then crashed into a park meter and chain link fence while avoiding a second roadblock, sending the vehicle up on two wheels. The driver continued through the Arlington Hotel garage on Fountain Street, immediately across from the park's Arlington Lawn and Bath House Row, heavily used by pedestrians. The Nissan reached such speeds in the garage that it became completely airborne when leaving the hotel's exit ramp. The pursuit continued southbound through Hot Springs City at speeds over 110 mph, and only came to an end when the Nissan suffered a flat tire and crashed on Airport Road. The driver fled on foot and hid in a building but was eventually captured and charged with several felonies. He recently was sentenced to ten years in state prison. The single federal charge of reckless operation was dismissed due to the length of the prison term. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On the evening of February 6th, ranger James Latendresse received a report of an assault involving five young men who'd beaten and robbed a visitor who was walking on the park's Grand Promenade. Latendresse's prompt investigation led to the discovery that Hot Springs PD detectives were working on a similar robbery in the city, with suspects who matched those involved in the park incident. Latendresse and NPS special agent Robert Still found and interviewed all five men, some of them housed at the Arkansas Rehabilitation Center located immediately adjacent to the park. During interviews, all five admitted their involvement in the robbery, which they had planned ahead of time. Warrants were authorized by the local U.S. magistrate. On April 13th, Still coordinated three separate warrant pickup teams, one each for the Arkansas towns of Pine Bluff, Strong and Hot Springs. The teams arrested all five men and took them to federal magistrate's court for their initial appearances. Still, Latendresse, Buffalo NR LES Jeff West and Hot Springs rangers Amanda DeFriese and Jason Flood served on the warrant teams. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Rangers Jeff Johnson and Dennis Stock attempted to pull over a Chevy Impala with expired plates on Gorge Road on the morning of June 12th, but the driver declined to stop and a chase ensued. The rangers followed the car to a house on Spring Valley Street, where the two women inside attempted to flee into a house that was not their residence. The rangers stopped and arrested them before they were able to do so. A records check on the driver revealed that she had a no bond "dangerous drug" warrant out against her, and the passenger had a no bond "absconder status" warrant on her. During an inventory of the car, the rangers found a brown paper bag containing materials consistent with methamphetamine production. The local drug task force was called in. Task force officers found and confiscated a methamphetamine pill soak, precursors and finished products, marijuana, a large quantity of ephedrine tablets, and narcotics paraphernalia. The women were charged in state court with possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, a felony. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On the evening of February 6th, ranger James Latendresse received a report of an assault involving five young men who'd beaten and robbed a visitor who was walking on the park's Grand Promenade. Latendresse's prompt investigation led to the discovery that Hot Springs PD detectives were working on a similar robbery in the city, with suspects who matched those involved in the park incident. Latendresse and NPS special agent Robert Still found and interviewed all five men, some of them housed at the Arkansas Rehabilitation Center located immediately adjacent to the park. During interviews, all five admitted their involvement in the robbery, which they had planned ahead of time. On October 13th, four of the men pled guilty in court, with each sentenced to 60 days in jail and a $600 fine and ordered to pay $81 in restitution. The fifth man remains at large, with an active warrant out against him. One of the members of the group was subsequently jailed for an armed carjacking in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The sentencing marked the culmination of months of work by Latendresse, Still and other Hot Springs rangers. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
On the afternoon of April 4th, protection ranger Jeff Johnson was dispatched to investigate a hiker report of a man's body hanging from a tree on Sunset Trail. Johnson notified EMS and local FBI while en route. When he arrived at the reported location, he found the body hanging from a tree limb just off the trail. Preliminary investigation indicates that the death was a suicide. The FBI has assumed the lead in the investigation. Toxicology and autopsy results are pending. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Two park visitors were walking on Fountain Street just down from the park's Arlington Lawn and Grand Promenade area around 10 p.m. on the evening of Saturday, May 22nd, when they were attacked and robbed. Three men accosted the pair from behind, stealing the women's purse and the man's wallet while they brandished knives, one reportedly holding a knife to the woman's throat. After forcibly obtaining these items, the trio fled, 'thanking' the victims as they departed. Prompt response by Hot Springs Police Department officers and NPS rangers resulted in the apprehension of one of the three men, a 21-year-old illegal alien. He remains in custody on an immigration hold. Special agent Robert Still, with assistance from Hot Springs rangers, is coordinating the investigation and efforts to locate the two remaining suspects. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
Ranger Clint Forte was on patrol in Gulpha Gorge Campground on the afternoon of January 29th when he came upon two people parked at a campsite who'd failed to pay the required camping fees. While Forte was attempting to identify the male driver, he ran from the campground, crossing Gulpha Gorge Creek and fleeing up the adjacent mountainside. Forte kept an eye on his female companion while coordinating a pursuit. Rangers David Van Nest and David Anderson responded from the nearby ranger station and Van Nest chased the man into the woods. After about a half mile, the man surrendered, saying that he was an asthmatic and couldn't breathe. Van Nest took him into custody, called for an ambulance, and got him inhaler treatment. Another camper subsequently told rangers that the woman had meanwhile entered their vehicle, removed an item, thrown it into the creek, and returned to the site. Forte found just under 48 grams of marijuana in the vehicle along with scales, empty plastic baggies, and other items consistent with possession of narcotics with intent to deliver. The man was found to have a suspended driver's license and four Hot Springs PD warrants out against him. A 9mm semi-automatic handgun was recovered from Gorge Creek, which was found to have been stolen in Garland County. Both the man and woman face multiple weapons, drugs, and interfering charges. Rangers are assisting Garland County Sheriff's Department deputies with the weapon investigation. [Dennis Stock, Chief Ranger]
In June, 2010, rangers received a report that a 16-year-old girl had been beaten and rendered unconscious in front of the park visitor center by an unknown assailant. Rangers and officers from the Hot Springs Police Department responded. The found the girl alive but unconscious. Investigation revealed she was a known associate of the assailant, W.V. of Forrest City, Arkansas. W.V. was wanted on previous warrants by the county and the state of Arkansas and subsequently fled. After a six month investigation by NPS agents and rangers, W.V. was located, arrested, and jailed. He later confessed to the assault to an NPS agent. W.V. was charged in federal court under 18 USC 113 and on November 14th pled guilty to the assault. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, with his time to run concurrently with other time being served for past criminal activity. [Robert L. Still, Special Agent]
Ranger Clint Forte contacted G.E. and D.P. in the Gulpha Gorge campground for fee violations last January 29th. A few moments later, G.E. fled, leaving D.P. behind with a vehicle, a stolen 9mm handgun, scales, and a distribution amount of marijuana. D.P. immediately seized the handgun from the vehicle and attempted to dispose of it in a nearby creek. After a foot pursuit, Forte and local officers captured G.E. and later recovered the firearm from the creek. With the assistance of an NPS special agent, G.E. and D.P. were charged in federal court. D.P. later confessed to the agent of interference and G.E.'s motive in possession of the marijuana and handgun. G.E. pled to one count under 21 USC 841 on September 14th. On December 6th, he was sentenced to three months in jail, assessed court costs, and placed on three years' supervised probation. D.P. is to be sentenced later. The recovered handgun was found to have been taken in a burglary about a month prior and will be returned to the legal owner. [Robert Still]
Hot Springs rangers are searching for the assailants who attacked a physically disabled 22-year-old Arkansas man on the evening of February 16th and are also investigating the possibility of this being considered a hate crime due to the nature of the attack. According to the victim, who was seriously injured in the unprovoked assault, he had just began walking on the Promenade behind the Fordyce Visitor Center when he was accosted by three unknown men who approached him and began to harass him. He felt a concern for his safety and attempted to leave the area, but was immediately attacked by the trio, thrown down, and knocked unconscious. When he awoke, he realized that he had also been robbed. The man's assailants fled the scene. Injured and dazed, he then made his way to the security office at Arkansas Career Training Institute. The park was notified and ranger Andy Griggs arrived on scene within minutes of getting the radio call. The victim was then transported to St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital for treatment of his injuries, which consisted of broken bones, a concussion, a broken nose, bruised ribs, and abrasions. The US Attorney's office has pledged full support for prosecuting the suspects in federal court if located. They will face felony assault charges, plus the possibility of being charged with a federal hate crime. A reward of $1,000 is being offered for their arrest and conviction. Rangers have been canvassing the area in search of possible witnesses. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
The park received several 911 calls on March 5th reporting that a man was beating a woman who was lying on the ground next to a vehicle at the entrance to the Gulpha Gorge campground. Rangers David Van Nest and John Hughes responded. While en route to the campground, an updated 911 call came in reporting that the man had fled on foot dressed in a white t-shirt covered with blood. The caller was attempting to follow him while rangers responded. Although a perimeter was set up, he managed to escape. Once on scene, the rangers determined that the woman had been riding in a pickup truck with her former boyfriend when he began assaulting her as they rode through the park, biting and striking the woman repeatedly. A three-year-old was standing on the front seat unrestrained in between the pair during the encounter. He then pulled over to the shoulder of the road, punched her again, knocked her out of the truck, then got out and began striking her as she lay on the ground. Passersby saw the assault and began making the 911 calls. Rangers learned that the man was staying in a local motel and the manager was asked to contact them if the returned. His truck was seized as evidence and stored at a local towing company. Within hours, the company called rangers and informed them that they had been contacted by the man, who wanted to get his truck and was on his way there. Rangers set up surveillance of the facility; within about an hour, he arrived, surrendered to them without incident, and was taken into custody. The man, a convicted felon who is on probation for battery and other violent acts, was booked into the county jail on federal charges. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
The city of Hot Springs held its annual St. Patrick's Day event adjacent to the park on Saturday, March 17th, with a parade, music, vendors and entertainment. The event was highly publicized, with the band .38 Special as the headliner. Crowds were estimated by city officials at a total of about 50,000 people. Six rangers were assigned to manage all incidents that occurred inside of the park; one protection employee was assigned to represent the park at the command post that had been established under unified command with representatives from local, state, and county law enforcement agencies. Crowds were out in full force as the temperatures were in the 80s and the skies were clear. During the late afternoon parade, debris from one of the floats caused a power transformer to explode, sending sparks down onto the crowd, blowing the power grid, and knocking the 911 emergency call center offline, forcing all incoming emergency calls to be forwarded to another emergency operations center. Rangers responded to numerous incidents, including six drug violations, two warrant arrests, two public intoxication arrests, and five alcohol violations. They were also dispatched to establish a perimeter around the Grand Promenade after a suspect in a felony assault was thought to have fled into the park and asked to respond to assaults adjacent to the park. In one incident, they were asked to investigate complaints received about five men who were being disorderly in the park. The men resisted rangers and fled on foot into the downtown area. Ranger Andy Griggs was able to stay close enough to them to call in their location over the radio, though; as they attempted to run towards the extremely crowded center stage area in an apparent attempt to lose the pursuing rangers in the crowd, they therefore encountered a large contingent of local and county law enforcement officers who were anxiously awaiting their arrival. The five men were detained for the rangers, who arrived shortly thereafter and took all of them into custody. The crowd erupted in applause as the rangers drove the suspects off to jail. [John K Hughes, Chief Ranger]
On March 10th, US marshals contacted rangers and asked for assistance in locating C.H., a wanted armed robbery suspect. A tip had been received that he might be hiding out in the park. C.H., who had been on the run since last October, was wanted for an armed robbery in Little Rock, during which he attacked a security officer with a box cutter. C.H. was able to avoid the marshals earlier in the day when they attempted to take him into custody in the park on Bathhouse Row, but he managed to elude capture by fleeing deeper into the park. Cell phone towers picked up transmissions from C.H.'s phone as he traveled through the park, but soon the phone went dead and the signal was lost. Rangers Andy Griggs and John Hughes set up surveillance of areas of the park along with other federal agents but were unable to locate C.H.. Since nightfall was approaching and C.H. was known to be violent and to carry weapons, a decision was made to start looking for him at first light the next day. Around 10:30 p.m. that evening, Griggs was on routine patrol near Arlington Lawn when he saw a couple acting suspiciously near the fountain there. As Griggs approached them, he noticed that the man ducked behind a large boulder. Griggs recognized him as matching the description of the "armed and dangerous" suspect wanted by the marshals. He drew his electronic control weapon and ordered C.H. to the ground, but C.H. initially refused and began to argue with Griggs, saying that he must be crazy to be pointing his taser at him. After repeated demands by the ranger, C.H. finally complied and went to the ground. Griggs took him into custody without further incident and transported him to the county jail, where his identity was confirmed. Due to additional warrants out for his arrest from Little Rock Police Department and the Saline County Sheriff's Department, fugitive holds were placed on him. The supervisory US marshal contacted the park the next day and recognized Griggs for his actions and attention to detail in the wanted man's safe and efficient capture. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
On Memorial Day morning, security guards at the nearby Arlington Hotel called 911 to report a suspicious package in the park near the fountain on the Arlington lawn. Ranger David Van Nest was dispatched and arrived on scene moments later. He found the suspicious package and evacuated the area. The package, wrapped in red duct tape, was placed at the foot of the water cascade. Assistance was brought in from the Hot Springs fire and police departments, the FBI, Little Rock Police Department and the Arkansas State Police bomb unit. A Little Rock bomb unit was brought in and the package was x-rayed. A water cannon was utilized to destroy the package after determining that this approach would be the safest way to neutralize it. The package turned out to be a hoax and the area was reopened to the public. While this incident was taking place, a "gawker" traveling down Central Avenue in front of the park ran into a large statue in the median, injuring several inside of the vehicle. This significantly added to the number of emergency personnel working the incident and further disrupted pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the area. The park was reopened after midnight. Ranger Jeff Johnson was incident commander. [John K Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Tropical Storm Isaac, downgraded from hurricane status, continues to produce heavy rains and severe weather as it moves further inland. Water levels remain high along the northern Gulf Coast. Isaac now has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and is moving northwest at 5 mph. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles. Isaac is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 7 to 14 inches over much of Louisiana, southern and central Mississippi, southwest Alabama, and southern and central Arkansas through Friday - with possible isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches. The HYPERLINK "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/032325.shtml?5-daynl ?large" "contents" current track map shows remnants of Isaac over central Missouri by Friday night, Indiana by Saturday night, and Ohio by Monday night. The HYPERLINK "http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/qpf/tcqpf.php" current rainfall map shows significant rainfall amounts all along that path. Here's today's park status report: Hot Springs NP - A flashflood watch has been issued for the area. Rangers and maintenance staff are pre-positioning barricades in case road closures prove necessary. The Eastern IMT remains on standby to report to any park or parks needing assistance after the storm's passage. [Compiled from regional and park reports]
The city of Hot Springs hosted its seventh annual Hot Springs Motorcycle Rally from September 6th through September 8th. An estimated 4,000 bikers converged on the city for the event. Hot Springs National Park was the scene for a motorcycle parade and a 5k run. Rangers were very busy during the three day event, working longer hours and bringing in additional support from Natchez Trace Parkway in order to maximize public safety. During the rally, they responded to the following incidents: Rangers were called during the morning of the 6th to assist with a double stabbing at a trailer park just outside park boundaries. Upon arrival, they found one murder victim lying in the roadway, suffering from extreme body trauma, and a second severely injured man sitting on the porch of the trailer. He suffered severe lacerations to his stomach to the point that his intestines were exposed. The suspect in the murder was found a short distance away. On Friday evening, rangers and local police responded to an urgent call of "shots fired" with an "officer down" several blocks from the park. After searching the area and finding no evidence of a shooting, it was determined that the call was a prank. From Thursday through Sunday morning, rangers made two arrests for public intoxication, three arrests for DUI and one arrest for DUI drugs after a driver was found to driving incoherently through the campground. They also issued 24 citations and 61 warnings and arrested two fugitives from justice. Rangers investigated four motor vehicle crashes, one of which involved a driver rolling his vehicle over on the Gulpha Gorge Road and another in which a motorcycle slammed into a guardrail at a high rate of speed on the same road. During the event, a patrol vehicle was carrying patrol bicycles was damaged when it was rear-ended by an inattentive driver. [John K. Hughes, Chief Ranger]
On March 5th, rangers David Van Nest and John Hughes responded to numerous 911 calls reporting a brutal attack occurring along Gulpha Gorge Road. They were advised that a man was beating a woman adjacent to a parked vehicle and that a small child was also present. As rangers were responding, they learned that the man had fled the scene, that he was wearing bloody clothing, and that he was being followed by witnesses. The witnesses pursued him to a point where he ran into the woods near Centerfolds Lounge, just outside of the park. Hughes provided first aid to the injured woman until an EMS unit arrived on scene. The three-year-old child was also bloody, but was not injured (the blood was from the woman). The female and child were transported by EMS to a local hospital for treatment and observation. Investigation revealed that she had suffered serious bodily injury in the attack. Later that afternoon, as the rangers continued their investigation into the incident, they were notified that the man had contacted the towing company where the seized vehicle had been stored and had inquired about getting it back. Rangers responded and stationed themselves around the area of the tow yard. A short time later they saw a man fitting the description of the suspect enter the yard and approach the seized vehicle, located in a fenced-in area. He was immediately taken into custody. At the jail, rangers used HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Integrated_Automated_Fingerprint_Identification_System" AFIS to positively identify the man, who turned out to be 33-year-old B.A.F. of Hot Springs, a convicted felon who was on active probation for another vicious attack on a woman. Although he had bruised knuckles, B.A.F. denied any assault on the woman. That evening, rangers searched B.A.F.'s motel room and found the bloody shirt that he had been wearing at the time of the attack. Hughes later testified at a federal grand jury hearing in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where B.A.F. was indicted for felonious assault with enhanced penalty for committing the attack in the presence of a child. B.A.F. was ordered held in federal custody due to the danger he presented to society. Later, B.A.F. pled guilty as charged and his sentencing was set for Friday, December 14th. Witnesses who had observed the attack also testified at the sentencing. One reported that the victim could no longer stand up from being beaten; she fell to the ground, only to be picked back up by B.A.F. and placed against the truck so that he could continue to beat on her. It is strongly believed by investigating rangers that motorists who stopped and called 911 most probably saved her life. A federal judge in Hot Springs sentenced B.A.F. to three years federal imprisonment for the attack, followed by an additional two years of federal probation. B.A.F. was also ordered to pay restitution to cover the victim's medical bills. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Ranger Zach Summerlin was on patrol in the area of West Mountain Drive on February 3rd when he encountered an erratic driver. Summerlin stopped the vehicle and made contact with the female driver, who showed obvious signs of impairment. Summerlin also noted that a small child was secured in a car seat behind the driver. As he began a field sobriety test on the driver, she became augmentative, began to act irrationally, and began denying that she had not done well on the administered field sobriety tests. Summerlin then radioed dispatch for immediate assistance. Suddenly, without warning, the woman ran towards and entered her vehicle. Summerlin unsuccessfully attempted to stop her from fleeing as she broke free from him and got behind the wheel. A struggle ensued, but the woman was able to put the car into drive and sped off. Summerlin had to let go of the fleeing vehicle for his safety, then pursued the car as it left the park. As the woman attempted to get away, she struck a telephone pole guide wire and nearly flipped her car over, only to once again continue her escape attempt. A short distance later, the fleeing sedan struck another vehicle, leaving it disabled in the middle of the road. The woman continued fleeing for several more miles before the vehicle came to a stop in front of her mother's house. Due to damage to her car, she had to be extricated from its passenger side. EMS arrived on scene and checked the 18-month-old child, who was found to be uninjured. The child was turned over to child protective services, which took her into protective custody pending a hearing on the incident. Summerlin booked the woman into the county jail and charged her with felony fleeing, felony child endangerment, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, assault on a federal officer, second offense DWI, and resisting arrest. The entire incident was captured on a NPS dash-mounted mobile video camera and a park-issued body video camera that Summerlin was wearing at the time of the incident. These videos will no doubt play an important role in the woman's prosecution. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Rangers Andy Griggs and Clint Forte were on patrol on March 7th when they observed a Buick being driven erratically down Gulpha Gorge Road and pulled it over. While talking to the driver, who was the vehicle's sole occupant, they saw him make several furtive movements toward its center console and had him step out of the vehicle. After doing so, he pushed the vehicle's automatic lock button and attempted to walk way. A struggle ensued and he was subdued. A check on him revealed that his driver's license was suspended and that he had a prior criminal history, included felony convictions. An inventory of the vehicle led to the discovery of a loaded .38 caliber Taurus revolver in the center console. Rangers also found two baggies containing pills of an unknown type, a bag of crystallized substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine, two electronic scales, and $395 in cash, all of which were seized as evidence. Rangers charged the driver with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and possession of drug paraphernalia. It was later discovered that the man also had an outstanding felony warrant out for his arrest. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Local police asked rangers to help them hunt down an armed fugitive on Thursday, March 7th. Officers were attempting to arrest the man, who was wanted for questioning regarding a bank robbery that had taken place several days before, but he fled out of the back of the hotel where he was staying before they could do so. He then pulled a gun on the driver of a pickup truck that was in a nearby parking lot, stole the vehicle, and fled at a high rate of speed, causing several accidents along a two mile stretch of Central Avenue before crashing the truck. He then fled on foot into a wooded area that's surrounded by residential neighborhoods. Officers saw him running from the truck with a bag that they believed contained several guns. Rangers converged on the wooded area along with city, county and state officers and soon established a secure perimeter. As an Arkansas State Police helicopter hovered overhead, several SWAT teams and tracking dogs were deployed into the wooded area to search for the man, who'd told family members and others that he would not go down without a fight and had vowed "not to be taken alive." After hours of searching the area and chasing down false leads, a homeowner who lived near the woods called 911 and reported that the man was attempting to kick in the rear door of her neighbor's apartment. Officers quickly surrounded the unit and contacted the man, who'd climbed up on a balcony and forced his way inside the unoccupied residence. Negotiators attempted to talk him into surrendering, but ended up using tear gas when those efforts failed. He was then taken into custody without further incident. The man, who has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1994, including more than 25 arrests, was on parole from an eight-year prison term following a 2010 conviction. The police expressed their sincere appreciation for the park's assistance. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Ranger Jeff Johnson was on patrol on the afternoon of May 16th when he came upon a car with a cloud of white smoke around it stuck on top of the 18-inch-high concrete barrier/curbed median in front of Lama Bath House. At the same time, dispatchers at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which provides dispatch services for Hot Springs, began receiving calls from park employees reporting the incident. Johnson saw several people standing near the vehicle's driver side door, with one attempting rescue breathing on the driver and lone occupant. He immediately requested an EMS response. Two rangers and an EMT were soon on scene. Meanwhile, Johnson noted that the occupant of the vehicle was turning purple and placed her on the ground with a bystander's assistance. An AED was used to restore her pulse. She was taken to a local hospital, where she was reported to be in critical but stable condition. Investigation revealed that the woman had called her husband, reported that she wasn't feeling well, and said she was heading home. While doing so, he'd lost control of her vehicle and hit the barrier, which kept the car from running down pedestrians or hitting one of the historic buildings. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Hot Springs National Park rangers responded to numerous incidents during the past two weeks, including the following: Rangers issued 37 citations and made five driving under the influence arrests. Rangers also assisted local police with a shots fired call and numerous traffic accidents just outside of the park's boundary. On July 3rd, rangers Noel Rupel and Ryan Howell responded to a reported multi-vehicle accident on West Mountain Drive that involved an injured pedestrian. Their investigation revealed that a 16-year-old inexperienced driver was traveling down the mountain at a high rate of speed and lost control of her vehicle, crashing it into three other vehicles that were parked at an overlook. She also struck a pedestrian who was standing in the overlook, throwing her clear of the area. The driver sustained facial and head trauma and was transported by EMS to a local hospital. The rangers' investigation is continuing. On July 7th, ranger Stephen Dale was patrolling the area of Black Snake Road when he encountered a man acting suspiciously at the Sunset Trail overlook and determined that he was attempting to hide a syringe. A check on him revealed that he'd been previously arrested by Hot Springs rangers for illegal sexual conduct and drug charges during the past two years and that he had been sentenced to jail time for those charges and banned from the park - but that the ban had ended in March. Dale arrested him for being in the park under the influence of drugs and he was booked into the county jail. On June 28th, ranger Flint Stock stopped a driver for erratic driving in the area of Gulpha Gorge Road. A routine check on the vehicle indicated that it had been entered into NCIC as stolen. Stock transported the driver to the county jail. The man incriminated himself with statements that he made to the ranger. On June 29th, rangers were on foot patrol near Bathhouse Row when they saw four motorcycles speeding and racing down Central Avenue. A short time later, the rangers were dispatched to a motorcycle crash on West Mountain. The rangers came upon an injured man and a severely injured woman lying off the road near several large trees. Investigation revealed that the group of motorcycles was speeding down west mountain drive when one of the operators lost control and ran off of the left side of the roadway. The woman hit a tree and suffered head trauma. Both the man and woman were transported to the hospital by EMS. The rangers' investigation into the incident is continuing; charges are pending. On July 2nd, ranger Ryan Howell parked his patrol car in the vicinity of Bull Bayou and was preparing to walk down to a popular gathering spot next to a nearby creek. Before he did so, he ran the tag number on a parked vehicle. The vehicle came back in NCIC as stolen. Two people in the area were contacted. One had suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in his possession. The suspects were also wanted in NCIC on outstanding arrest warrants. Both were immediately taken into custody. A search of the vehicle revealed numerous items that had been reported stolen. A suspicious item was also in the vehicle that was determined to be a homemade bomb. The fire department and others were notified and responded accordingly. The investigation revealed that the rightful owner of the stolen vehicle had been recently incarcerated for the illegal making of explosives and that the bomb had apparently been left unattended in the vehicle when it was stolen. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
On July 30th, agents from the State Department inquired about a man and vehicle that had been checked by park rangers through NCIC via a ranger's vehicle-mounted mobile data terminal several months previously. They told rangers that they suspected that the man had assumed the identity of a deceased person from South Dakota and said that they'd requested assistance from ICE agents because finding the man was a priority. Rangers were not aware at the time that the person whom they'd checked was being investigated by other federal agencies, so he'd been released. A thorough review of the video cameras that rangers utilize in their traffic enforcement details revealed that the man had indeed presented fictitious identification in an effort to disguise his identity. The agents were surprised at the quality of the video, which clearly indicated that the man had positively presented fictitious identification to rangers. State Department and ICE agents, now armed with the video of the man using someone else's identity, were able to move forward with their efforts to formally have him charged while seeking to have him deported. The man, who was using the assumed name of M.C., was identified as actually being M.V., a Croatian immigrant who was listed as armed and dangerous on an NCIC printout. His previous criminal history revealed that he'd served as the ringleader of a major methamphetamine distribution organization which not only included distribution of methamphetamine but also included violent crimes against others. Ranger Ryan Howell was on patrol on West Mountain Drive on August 2nd when he spotted the man driving in the park and called for backup. Rangers and officers performed a high risk stop and took M.V. into custody without incident. He was transported by rangers to the local county jail, where a federal detainer was placed on him for an appearance before a federal judge. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
While working a DUI enforcement detail on Thursday, August 29th, rangers stopped, pursued and tasered a wanted felon who was originally stopped for driving in a careless manner. M.B., 41, a Hot Springs resident, was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe southbound on Gorge Road when rangers turned around to follow the vehicle, which then accelerated and fled to the area of Grand Avenue. When he was finally stopped, M.B. provided a false name and date of birth to the rangers. The rangers checked through their mobile data terminals and pulled up a picture for the name provided, but it did not match M.B.'s description. Confronted with the false information, M.B. suddenly jumped up and fled on foot through a nearby parking lot and then into an open field. The rangers pursued him and eventually employed a taser on him before safely taking him into custody. Two passengers in the vehicle confirmed that M.B. had given the rangers a false name. A routine criminal history inquiry on M.B. revealed that he had outstanding felony warrants out of Garland County. Rangers booked him into the county jail on the outstanding warrants as well as federal charges for interfering with a federal officer, fleeing, operating with a suspended driver's license, and having no insurance. His two companions were charged with interfering with a federal officer. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Ranger Clint Forte and his partner "Saki," a two-year-old German shepherd recently acquired by the park, were asked to assist the Hot Springs Drug Task Force with the identification of a suspicious package at the post office on November 21st. Members of the task force had determined that a package containing illegal narcotics might be coming to the post office and notified the postmaster, who intercepted it. Several packages were placed on the floor and Saki was asked to examine them. Saki immediately alerted on a package sent to a 50-year-old city resident. Shortly thereafter, the man's wife arrived at the post office to pick up the package and was detained by officers. She gave them permission to search the package, which was found to contain nearly four pounds of marijuana. The man was charged with possession of a controlled substance, a crime punishable by up to six years in prison. The street value of the marijuana was estimated to be $24,000. [Josie Fernandez, Superintendent]
Ranger Andy Griggs came upon an unoccupied suspicious vehicle on Blacksnake Road inside the park while on patrol on Friday, February 21st. A routine check on the vehicle's tag indicated that the registered owner had extensive felony arrests on his record and that he was operating it with a suspended driver's license. This area of the park has been a popular area for "scrappers" looking for old bottles and other historic artifacts. Several archaeological sites are in this same area. Chief Ranger John Hughes, Operations Supervisor Jeff Johnson, Ranger Clint Forte and his canine partner, "Saki," responded. While waiting for additional park units to arrive, a single gunshot was heard from a distance. Rangers searched the area for approximately an hour, eventually coming upon the owner of the vehicle and another man, who admitted that they had been looking in the area for items that could be taken to a scrap yard. While the on-scene interviews were being conducted, a third man was found a short distance away from the truck. As he was being interviewed, a plume of smoke was seen coming from the mountainside in an area where he'd come from. The man admitted to starting the wildfire to draw attention to himself, as he felt that he was lost in the woods and hoped that his two companions would see the smoke and come to his aid. NPS fire crews, Forest Service firefighters and Hot Springs Fire Department personnel responded to fight the fire. At the time, the area was under a burn ban, as the park had not received any measurable rain for quite some time and winds were gusting to approximately 20 mph with the relative humidity at 16%. By the time the fire was completely extinguished, an acre-and-a-half of park land had burned. The man who started the fire will be charged in federal court once the case has been turned over to the US attorney. The other two men were both taken into custody, as they were both wanted on outstanding warrants from another jurisdiction. Forte is the case agent for the arson; Jeff Johnson served as the incident commander for the fire [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
A 52-year-old Hot Springs man was sentenced last month to seven months in prison followed by two-and-a-half years of federal probation and the collection of his DNA for his role in calling in two bomb threats to a park facility during the October 2013 government shutdown. J.S. was charged and convicted for a violation of 18 USC 844(e), "using a telephone to willfully make a threat to damage or destroy a building by means of an explosive." He was held in custody until his sentencing on April 25th. On October 9th, Ranger Josh Ford was dispatched to the closed Hot Springs Mountain Tower regarding a 911 call concerning a bomb being placed there. The unidentified male said that the tower had been rigged with detonation cord and that sensors had been put in place around the area. A short time later, a second phone call came in reporting a bomb in the park. The caller reported that the bomb would explode if the government did not get its act together and reopen the park. Additional rangers were called in to conduct a thorough search of the area. No explosives were found and nothing appeared to have been tampered with. Rangers then turned their investigation to the origin of the call. The caller's cellular number was not displayed at the communications center during the two calls and no name was associated with the disposable type phone or registered through a national wireless network. However, the dispatcher could determine the cell tower that routed it. Rangers then proceeded to the area of the origination of the call. While near the tower, another 911 call came into dispatch reporting shots fired from the same area where the bomb threat had originated. About 20 law enforcement officers - rangers, state troopers, sheriff's deputies and city police officers - met at a pre-determined location to plan a strategy. While the plan was being worked, J.S. dialed 911 using his personal cellular phone to complain about open drug use in his neighborhood. During the call, the phone number of the caller and his complete address was displayed on the 911 console. The 911 operator reported to rangers that J.S.'s voice sounded similar to that of the anonymous bomb threat caller earlier that night. It was noted that J.S.'s residence was in the approximate location of where the cellular tower indicated the bomb threats had been made. When officers contacted J.S. about his 911 call regarding drug use, they noted he was wearing an empty cellular phone holder on his belt. J.S. agreed to show them the phone, which was used to report "drug activity" but not the bomb threats. Ford conducted a recorded, formal interview after J.S. waived his Miranda rights. During the interview J.S. said he was angry with the government and how the shutdown was implemented. He said that after drinking most of the evening with a friend it seemed like a good idea to call in the bomb threats using his intoxicated friend's cell phone. He added that he later got into an argument with his friend and that he had left with his cell phone. J.S. said that he later felt that he needed to call 911 on his personal cell phone to complain about drug usage. Ranger Josh Ford was the case agent. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
On May 12th, Hot Springs resident P.W., 26, was sentenced to 12 months in federal jail followed by a year's federal probation, banned from the park, and ordered to pay $3,500 restitution to the park after being found guilty of theft of government property (18 USC 641) and aiding and abetting (18 USC 2). The park received a report of a break-in at its maintenance facility on May 1, 2012. Ranger Zach Summerlin found that a person or persons had cut a government lock, had entered the facility, and had stolen five stainless steel bathtubs valued at $15,000 that had been stored for later use in the park museum. A one-year investigation conducted by Summerlin revealed that the tubs had been destroyed and broken down before they were sold to a scrapyard for around $700. Rangers then seized them as evidence. Bank records, video surveillance, and witness testimony revealed that P.W. had returned to the scrapyard shortly after its operator was contacted by the park and had repaid the company $700 for its losses, as he did not want to be banned from future business dealings with them. In an attempt to conceal this crime, P.W. conspired with a 16-year-old juvenile to file a false police report by implicating a third subject as the suspect. It was determined that the third subject did not have anything to do with the offense and was later released. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Earlier this year, the FBI contacted rangers at Hot Springs National Park and requested their participation in an operation targeting commercial child sex trafficking in the state of Arkansas. The local operation involved numerous law enforcement agencies and was part of a national initiative called "Operation Cross Country 8." The multi-agency effort targeted child predators and prostitution and had as its objective the rescue of child sex trafficking victims. A Hot Springs ranger was assigned to work alongside the FBI and officers from other law enforcement agencies to jointly combat the sex trade activity that affects operations at Hot Springs National Park and other jurisdictions within the state. The operation included enforcement actions in seven cities throughout the state of Arkansas and resulted in the recovery of two juvenile victims and multiple arrests. More information about "Operation Cross Country 8" may be found at the link below. HYPERLINK "http://www.arkansasmatters.com/story/d/story/2-juveniles-rescued-36-prostitutes-arrested-in-ope/17714/oucb5o7jjUWaKmwuQuRKwA" ".U8QJWmKvj34.email" [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Off-duty ranger Stephen Dale was reviewing YouTube videos in his spare time earlier this year when he came across a disturbing video depicting a reckless incident video that had positively taken place inside of Hot Springs National Park. The video, taken from a helmet-mounted camera, captured a man operating a Yamaha WR-250 motorcycle at very high rates of speed, passing other motorists in no passing zones, driving on sidewalks, and shouting profanities at park visitors. A search of other online videos posted by this user provided additional evidence of other careless incidents in the park by this and other fellow motorcycle riders. The video provided Hot Springs rangers with a clear picture of the motorcycle involved and the operator himself as well as descriptions of his companions, including a placard with the number "383" mounted on the handlebar. Rangers then began to watch closely for this motorcycle. On May 10th, operations supervisor Jeff Johnson was stopped in traffic on Central Avenue when he saw a motorcycle matching the exact description pass by him. He stopped the bike and questioned the operator, who told Johnson that he couldn't prove that the man in the videos was him, that the videos were copyrighted, and that they should not have been viewed by law enforcement. Following a talk with the U.S. attorney and a review of the overwhelming evidence on the videos, including a running narrative in which he specifically described where he was located while riding the bike, he decided to plead guilty to CFR violations. On July 14th, he did so in federal court and was sentenced to a $1,000 fine, placed on a year's federal probation, and ordered to stay out of Hot Springs National Park for a period of one year. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
On the weekend of August 2nd, Ranger Ryan Howell encountered a 29-year-old man who had come into the Gulpha Gorge campground looking for a place to camp but was confused and acting strangely. A routine check on the man's vehicle revealed that he had a history of violence and a criminal past, including an attempt to murder his father. Howell also learned that he'd just bonded out of jail following an attack on his ex-girlfriend a few days previously. Information was passed along to the entire protection ranger staff warning them of the man's history. On Tuesday, August 5th, Chief Ranger John Hughes noticed a hangman's noose hanging from a tree in the man's campsite. Rangers Jeff Johnson and Clint Forte and park canine "Saki" responded and spoke to the man. The noose was then taken down from the tree, but it was noted that the man was wearing a large filet knife on his side. Shortly after clearing the campsite, a 911 call was relayed to park dispatch concerning a man who'd been snake-bitten at his campsite. A second call came in shortly thereafter reporting a man and woman fighting at the campsite. Rangers responded and staged in a safe location to prepare their approach. Several nearby campers and the man's mother notified park rangers that he had been talking of suicide by hanging himself. EMS was staged at this time. When the man saw rangers in the area, he fled further down Gulpha Creek and out of site. After a couple of hours of searching, he was found underneath a highway bridge and was talked out and taken into protective custody with only a brief bit of resistance. While being loaded into the waiting ambulance, he was questioned as to the location of the large filet knife. He said that the knife had been hidden next to a large rock, where he intended to have a woman accompany him later that night. Rangers interviewed the man's mother and learned that he had invited his ex-girlfriend to visit him at the rock next to the creek that night. It is unknown at this time of his intentions, but park staff are concerned that a murder-suicide may have been his plan. Due to his violent behavior, hospital workers asked that rangers standby with the man at the hospital for several hours until his handcuffs could be safely removed. The attending physician ordered him sent to a mental hospital for treatment. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
Rangers John Hughes and Jeff Johnson responded to a report of gunfire at a housing project located adjacent to the park on August 20th. Hughes arrived on scene within 45 seconds. He found two people suffering from gunshot wounds about 75 yards apart from each other - the first had been hit in the leg and had a severed femoral that was bleeding profusely, the second had been hit in the head. Numerous shell casings were scattered throughout the area along with currency and packets that appeared to contain illegal drugs. A third person was then found with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. A fourth person had also been shot and was last seen running from the scene, covered in blood. The area was immediately cordoned off. Officers from several agencies soon arrived to assist. A lifesaving tourniquet was placed on the victim with the femoral artery wound by a local police officer. Other rangers were called in to assist in searching for possible additional shooters. The investigation revealed that the shooting was a result of a drug deal-robbery gone bad. All of the shooting victims were reportedly involved in this incident. Two remain in critical condition and a third is listed in serious condition. The fourth shooting victim has not been found, but his residence was the scene of a drive-by shooting following this incident. The park resumed normal activities later that day. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
On December 4th, a man entered an unattended vehicle that had been left at a residence just outside the park with the keys inside it and fled at a high rate of speed into the park, traveling down Black Snake Road. He failed to negotiate a sharp right hand turn and careened off the roadway into a tree, then jumped out and fled on foot. Witnesses were able to provide a good description of the man to responding rangers. A perimeter was established around the area until park canine officer Clint Forte and his dog, "Saki," arrived on scene. Forte, Saki and spotter Matthew Tiger tracked the man into the woods for approximately 500 yards. After some resistance, he was taken into custody. The man continued to resist while he was brought back to the waiting patrol vehicle and while at the county jail. From the jail he was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where rangers stood by while he was being treated. A blood sample was obtained by rangers and he was later booked back into the jail by rangers on several misdemeanor and felony charges. Forte and "Saki" are being praised for their work in capturing the man so quickly, despite the fact that he'd crossed back and forth over the roadway several times on foot while fleeing the crash. [John Hughes, Chief Ranger]
On Thursday, April 9th, a portion of Hot Springs National Park was closed for approximately ten hours while a search was conducted to locate stolen dynamite which had possibly been stashed within the park's boundary. On March 27th, 195 pounds of ammonium nitrate explosives and 83 sticks of Red Delite dynamite were reported stolen from a work site in Lonsdale, located about ten minutes east of the park boundary. Some of the explosives were located two days later after Garland County Sheriff's Department deputies responded to a call of a possible kidnapping at a residence on White Sulphur Road. A suspect at the scene identified as S.D.S., 43, fled from deputies in his car, which he abandoned near the park boundary in the area of East Grand Avenue. Investigators believe S.D.S. to have fled on foot into the park, but he could not be located during a subsequent search. An inventory of the car was conducted which lead to the discovery of a bag in the back seat containing five sticks of dynamite. The sticks were banded together and fused in series. A passenger in the vehicle, Kandyce Renae Jones, 23, was arrested on five counts of criminal possession of explosives. S.D.S. was later arrested and also charged with five counts of criminal possession of explosives. During the investigation, S.D.S. admitted that he bought the dynamite from J.A.B., 38. Investigators with the Garland County Sheriff's Department sought J.A.B. and considered him armed and dangerous. One of J.A.B.'s known residences was located directly across the street from the parks law enforcement headquarters. Rangers assisted in the investigation after information was shared concerning J.A.B.'s mother, B.A.Y., 58, who had previous history with the park's law enforcement division. B.A.Y. was taken into custody on April 7th and charged with hindering apprehension, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison. J.A.B. was also taken into custody on Tuesday, approximately two blocks east of the the park's ranger station. He was charged with 84 counts of possession of stolen explosives after investigators located a large quantity of ammonium nitrate and approximately 45 sticks of dynamite he admitted to possessing. On April 9th, rangers received two anonymous reports concerning J.A.B. Callers stated that they had observed him enter the park on the Reserve Street Trail system carrying a box of unknown contents three days prior to his arrest. The callers said that J.A.B. returned from the trailhead empty handed approximately 20 minutes later. Rangers quickly secured the trail area and with assistance from NPS and FBI special agents began the process of clearing the area of any potential explosive materials. An explosives K-9 from the Little Rock Police Department was brought in along with park law enforcement and FBI search members and conducted a thorough search of the area. This portion of the park was closed for approximately ten hours while investigators coordinated their search. No explosives or suspicious items were located and the park reopened the trail system to the public. [Jeff Johnson, Acting Chief Ranger]
On Sunday, May 17th, Rangers Chris Schreck and Ryan Howell responded to the report of an armed robbery along the carriage road located just above the Grand Promenade and Bath House Row. The victim said that he and two women were walking along the road around 8:45 p.m. when he was attacked by three unknown men who stole about $500 from him. During the struggle, the victim said that a handgun was flung into a nearby wooded area by one of his assailants. He was eventually able to escape and called authorities. Hot Springs K-9 Handler Clint Forte and partner Saki responded and conducted a search of the area for the weapon but could not find it. It's believed that the assailants retrieved it before leaving the area. No major injuries were reported by any of the victims and the case is currently being investigated by rangers. [Jeff Johnson, Supervisory Park Ranger]
On the evening of Friday, June 12th, rangers were notified of an assault that had occurred on the park's historic Grand Promenade, located in the downtown area of the park. They eventually located a juvenile man matching the suspect's description sitting amongst a group of people on Bathhouse Row. The rangers contacted him and were in the process of separating him from bystanders when he became aggressive and started yelling at them. He became so upset that bystanders had to restrain or pull him away from rangers several times. The young man was eventually placed in handcuffs and escorted to a patrol vehicle, where a young woman approached with his shoes. Rangers repeatedly ordered her to get back and had to push her away when she would not leave. She then became aggressive, screaming and yelling, but was pulled away by her friends. Once the young man was placed in the patrol vehicle, rangers again contacted the young woman, who refused to provide identification. When they attempted to arrest her, she became combative and had to be wrestled to the ground by rangers and city police. During the altercation, there were approximately 50 other juveniles yelling and screaming at the rangers and city officers, which is becoming a common occurrence in the downtown section of the park during the warm summer months. The juveniles were arrested and taken to the Garland County Juvenile Detention Center. Charges included interference with agency function and disorderly conduct. [Justin Cully, Chief Ranger]
On the evening of Tuesday, July 7th, rangers came into contact with a man identified as T.D.R. on the park's Historic Bathhouse Row. T.D.R., who was inquiring about an incident involving a family member, quickly became upset, started yelling and using profanity toward the rangers in front of numerous members of the public, including young children. T.D.R. was eventually arrested for disorderly conduct and public intoxication and taken to the Garland County Detention Center, where he was held until sober. Following his release the next day, T.D.R. started calling 911, first in an effort to regain property taken from him during the arrest but then to threatened to kill law enforcement officers in general and Hot Springs rangers in particular. Eventually, Garland County Sherriff's deputies located T.D.R. at his sister's residence, where he was taken into custody at gunpoint without incident. He is currently being held at the Garland County Detention Center on state charges of interference and making terroristic threats. The case is currently being considered for prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The case has received a lot of media attention in the local area. [Justin Cully, Chief Ranger]
On April 27th, a ranger attempted to contact B.G., 29, who was running on a park trail with two unrestrained dogs, which is a federal violation. B.G. ignored the ranger's commands to stop and fled the area. The ranger pursued him to his home, where he issued B.G. citations for the unrestrained dog violation as well as fleeing. Three days later, it was found that B.G. has posted threatening messages on his Facebook page. The threatening messages were directed at Hot Springs rangers and indicated that B.G. would carry a pistol on future trail runs and would shoot rangers. A warrant for terroristic threatening was issued. Green was arrested on May 14th and transported to the Garland County Detention Center. His bond was set at $100,000. Source: KHTV.
Quapaw Bath and Spa was closed last weekend after the park received preliminary positive results of Legionella bacteria from water samples taken at three interior areas and a fountain outside the spa. The park reports that it is also "aware" of three cases of Legionnaires' disease that have occurred over approximately the last year to spa visitors, but adds that it is as yet unknown if the spa was the source of the bacteria that caused them to become sick. The National Park Service, Public Health Service officials, and the staff at the Quapaw are "immediately working to ensure that the presence of the bacteria is fully addressed." Also working on the problem are representatives from the Arkansas Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Source: Brent Everitt, Hot Springs NP.
On July 28th, a man causing a disturbance and threatening bystanders along Bathhouse Row was shot by Hot Springs police. A Hot Springs officer was struck twice in the exchange of gunfire with the man. He was treated and released later that day. Central Avenue was blocked for hours because of the incident, which occurred in the national park between the Lamar Bath House, where the Bathhouse Row Emporium is located, and the Administration Building at the south end of Bathhouse Row. J.S., 31, who was hit several times in the exchange, was transported to a local hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition. J.S. was arrested on Friday, July 26th, and charged with failure to appear on July 23rd on an original charge of public intoxication dating back to July 8th. He was released the same day on a $1,000 bond. On May 3rd, J.S. had pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of driving on a suspended driver's license, disorderly conduct and obstructing government operations, stemming from an arrest on April 29th. J.S. was sentenced to 30 days' probation at that time, and the court recommended he undergo mental health treatment. The chief of police for Hot Springs has asked that the investigation be handled by the Arkansas State Police, Garland County sheriff's office, the FBI and the National Park Service. Source: Steven Mross, Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter. Hot Springs NP — The park has cleared Quapaw Baths and Spa to resume water-related services after final test results came in negative for Legionella bacteria, which can cause the serious type of pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. Preliminary results from tests made a week or so ago suggested Legionella growth, resulting in a recommendation to close water services at the spa while the park and public health officials awaited confirmatory testing. All laboratory testing was performed at a private lab as part of CDC's Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation program. Source: Tanner Newton, The Sentinel-Record.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter. Hot Springs NP — C.W., 30, has been sentenced to more than 13 years in federal prison for a shooting in the park in 2019. C.W. was charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and one count of discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The incident occurred on the evening of February 21st. Responding rangers found one person with a gunshot wound; the victim told them that C.W. had been his assailant. C.W. was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2019 and entered a guilty plea in August of 2019. Source: KATV News.
On July 28, 2019, a 33-year-old individual entered the park along Bath House Row, east of Central Avenue, carrying a 12-gauge shotgun. Others on scene called 911. Officers from the Hot Springs (AR) Police Department approached the individual, who fired into the ground in the direction of the officers. The street was crowded at the time. The two officers and their working dog approached the individual and ordered them to drop the shotgun. The individual did not comply, turned toward the officers, and discharged the weapon. One of the officers fired at the individual, striking them, multiple times. A second round by the suspect struck the sidewalk in front of the officers, and a bullet fragmented and struck one of the officers and the police dog. Both sustained injuries from the strike. The suspect was treated and later arrested at a local hospital. On April 14, 2023, the individual pleaded guilty to two counts of a seven-count indictment. On November 27, 2023, the individual was sentenced to twenty years in federal prison and three years of supervised probation. Source: U.S. Attorney's Office: Western District of Arkansas
On February 26, the thermal jug fountain at the Libbey Memorial Physical Medicine Center was closed due to a damaged water line. It will be closed indefinitely until it can be repaired. Source: KATV | |