Lyman – The driver of a stolen 2005 Jeep Cherokee remains in custody today after he lead Troopers on a chase early Friday evening after it was reported he drove away from a local gas station in Evanston without paying for fuel.

After pumping fuel into the stolen vehicle 18 year-old Jacob Bothun, from Eyota, Minnesota, headed for Interstate 80.  Troopers were given a description of the vehicle and shortly afterwards a Trooper observed the Jeep in the parking lot of another business near the Lyman Interchange.

Bothun failed to stop when the Trooper attempted to pull him over and then tried to elude the Trooper reaching speeds over 100 mph while on the Interstate.  Bothun lead the Trooper southbound on WYO 413 for a distance of approximately 3 miles.  He lost control of the Jeep while attempting to negotiate a curve in the roadway at the junction of WYO 413 and US 30 in Lyman.  When the vehicle left the roadway it vaulted over an irrigation canal, struck a pine tree and finally came to rest in the parking area of an abandoned store.  Bothun bolted from the vehicle on foot to only be captured a short distance away with the assistance of a Lyman Police Officer.

The Jeep was entered in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database and had been reported stolen to the Kern County Sheriff’s Department in Bakersfield, California, on the same day as the Wyoming chase.  The Jeep was considered to be a total loss due to the severe damage sustained in the crash.  Bothun was checked out by first responders but was not injured in the single vehicle crash.

Bothun boasted to Troopers that he had stolen two other vehicles in the State of Minnesota.  He has been charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, eluding, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, property destruction and possession of a user amount of marijuana.  It is not yet clear if he will face charges from California law enforcement authorities reference the stolen Jeep.

In 2009 Troopers recovered 44 stolen vehicles entered in the NCIC computer data base by other State, Federal and Municipal law enforcement agencies across the United States.

END

Rawlins – Armondo Cano, the suspect in Wednesday evening’s rampage on Interstate 80 in Sweetwater County has been charged with a plethora of both felony and misdemeanor violations.

As the investigation continues further details from Wednesday evening’s events become clearer.

After the initial REDDI report and the ramming of the vehicle occupied by the Cheyenne couple, Cano left his vehicle in the middle of the roadway and attempted to enter their vehicle. That is when Cano gained entry into the passerby’s vehicle obtaining her 9mm handgun from the back seat area. Cano then fired one round narrowly missing the driver of the vehicle. He then fired a second round out the side window of the vehicle he was in. Cano allegedly fired towards the vehicle and occupants of the vehicle he had just rammed.

Cano then exited the vehicle and pointed the weapon at the individuals however the weapon did not fire. Cano got back into his vehicle driving eastbound and once again rammed the vehicle occupied by the Cheyenne couple. Cano then drove approximately 1 mile further east on the Interstate where he stopped and then exited his vehicle. He once again began running back and forth across the interstate in front of traffic before lying down in the eastbound passing lane of the Interstate.

Cano picked up an unknown object and threw it at a passing vehicle shattering the vehicles driver’s side window. As another passerby attempted to help Cano out of the highway he stabbed the passerby with an unknown sharp object in the leg.

When the Trooper arrived on scene and attempted to arrest Cano he began struggling and resisting the officer. With the assistance of four passerby the Trooper was able to get one handcuff on Cano’s wrist. That is when additional law enforcement help from the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Department arrived and Cano was then taken into custody.

Troopers found the stolen handgun in Cano’s vehicle. The handgun had failed to eject a fired spent case and was therefore jammed and unable to fire until the jammed case had been removed.

Cano has been charged in Sweetwater County with the following charges:

• Aggravated Assault

• Attempted Manslaughter

• Battery

• Driving While Under the Influence

• Driving While under Suspension

• Reckless Driving

• Property Destruction

• Criminal Entry

• Larceny

• Felonious Restraint

• Failure to Report a Crash

• Failure to Maintain Vehicle Within a Single Lane

• Failure to Yield Right-of-Way by a Pedestrian

• Parking On a Highway

• Resisting Arrest

• Promoting Obscenity

Toxicology results on Cano have not been completed at this time. This process takes some time and the results are pending. Cano currently is being held at the Sweetwater County Detention Facility in Green River.

END

Cheyenne – Stepped-up law enforcement activities by Troopers of the Wyoming Highway Patrol will be conducted during the national “Operation C.A.R.E.” (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) enforcement mobilization beginning this week.

“Operation C.A.R.E.” is a combined effort by State Police, Highway Patrols and State Patrol law enforcement agencies to reduce the number of crashes during the holiday period. Troopers will be participating in saturation patrols in their respective areas of operation. These saturation patrols will take place on roadways throughout the holiday period.

The designated C.A.R.E. highway for the 4th of July Weekend will be all state roadways within Wyoming. The reporting period for this year will be 0001 hours on Friday, July 2nd, through 2400 hours on Monday, July 5th, 2010.

Troopers and Staff will be out patrolling and working overtime during the holiday period. The overtime monies to pay for the overtime have been secured for the Patrol by the WYDOT Highway Safety Program and will come from a Federal Highway 402 Safety grant.

Also, we ask the motoring public to support local law enforcement efforts during the Independence Day holiday period by utilizing the Wyoming Highway Patrol’s REDDI (Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately) toll free number to make the report of a suspected impaired driver. The toll free number will put the caller in touch with a Wyoming Highway Patrol Dispatcher to relay the reported information to a Trooper on the road. The number is 800-442-9090 and is manned by a Wyoming Highway Patrol dispatcher 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

END

Cheyenne – Felony drug seizures made by Troopers for the first quarter of 2010 are slightly higher as compared to felony drug seizures made in the 1st quarter of the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2010 Wyoming Highway Patrol Troopers have been involved in 29 felony drug seizure cases as compared to 20 for the first quarter of 2009.

Seizures of felony controlled substances by weight have increased slightly so far this year with increases in the categories of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and hashish. Estimated street value of the seizures so far this year is $428,986.00 which is only $281.00 more than the estimated street value from 2009.

Troopers have used drug detection K-9’s in 18 of the 29 felony drug cases this year. The Wyoming Highway Patrol’s drug detecting K-9’s, Trooper and K-9 training and the K-9 equipment were purchased with a federal grant secured from HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area).

Troopers have requested investigative assistance from Special Agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation in 20 of the current cases. Some of these criminal cases remain under investigation.

These felony seizures demonstrate that the Wyoming Highway Patrol remains diligently committed to eliminating the presence and impact of drugs in our State and our communities.

END

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FOR WHPA MEMBERS ONLY

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WHPA Award Banquet

Award Banquet will be held in the Monarch Room of the Pronghorn Lodge (150 East Main). The lodge is

on the east end of Lander’sMain Street on the north side. Look for the bronze elk statue.

Social time 6:00 – 6:30

Dinner at 6:30 with awards to follow

A sitter will be provided during the banquet (in the bottom level of the Monarch Room). Please RSVP if

you are going to take advantage of this service. Pizza will also be provided for the children.

Breakfast

Breakfast will be provided with the room by the hotel you will be staying in.

WHPA Business Meeting

8:00AM in the Holiday Inn Express conference room. The Holiday Inn Express is on the west end of Main

Street (1002 11th St).

FSN Meeting – all spouses are encouraged to attend

9:00 AM (note the change if you received the email before) at the Lander City Fire Department located at 430 Garfield (once again, sitters will be provided

location TBA). Meeting will include a special presentation from the Arnell family. They will share their experiences with the Make a Wish program.

Lunch

12 noon in the Holiday Inn Express conference room

WHPA Family Picnic

Picnic will be held at the Lander Fire Department Drill field (the same place we were at last time). This is

at the north end of Lander City Park. From Main Street turn south on 3rd Street and you will run into

the park.

Food will be grilled by retired WHP Major Richard Klouda. Plan on arriving at 5:30, the food and fun will

soon follow.

Lodging

We will be making lodging arrangements as people RSVP. We have a block of rooms available at this

time and more will open soon. Due to several large functions in town that weekend we will be required

to utilize a couple of different hotels. We have also reserved 6 campsites at Sinks Canyon State Park for

anyone who wants to pull a camper up and perhaps stay a couple of extra days.

Activities

There are numerous hiking trails and fishing streams very close to Lander. For those so inclined, there

are also 3 casinos within a 20 mile radius of Lander.

For those members who enjoy an occasional micro-brew, the Lander Brew Festival will be held from

noon to 7 on June 12th in City Park. (The part of City Park not reserved for theWHPA)

In addition, there are several unique shops and boutiques along Lander’sMain Street.

RSVP with the following information:

• Name and # of people in your party for the lodging

• If you will be staying both nights or only one

• If you want to reserve one of the campsites

• Number of people attending the banquet with choice of prime rib or ½ grilled chicken

• Number of adults/children attending the picnic

• Child care requirements for banquet and FSN meeting

***RSVP ASAP by 05/14/10 so we can take advantage of any rooms not used by other

organizations. These rooms will open up on the 14th and we will be able to book them.***

The deadline to RSVP for the food portion will be June 1st. To ensure best availability for the rooms

please RSVP ASAP. Thanks.

RSVP to bdbragonier@gmail.com or at 307-349-5154. I will notify you of which location you will be

staying.

Cheyenne – Numerous tractor trailer combinations were parked on the emergency lanes of Interstate 25 this afternoon seeking refuge from the strong winds.  Wind gusts in excess of 55 mph resulted in toppled trees in and around Cheyenne.  One tall fir tree at the WYDOT headquarters complex was laid over as were two tractor trailer combination units on the Interstate.

The strong winds began to blow just after noon today blowing over a tractor trailer combination approximately 32 miles north of Cheyenne on Interstate 25.  The combination came to rest in the median and did not hamper traffic.  The driver was not injured.

Shortly after a second tractor trailer blew over 2 miles south of Cheyenne on the southbound side of Interstate 25.  The driver of the combination was slightly injured but was not transported for emergency care.  The combination came to rest blocking the southbound passing lane and caused a temporary road closure of the southbound side of the Interstate.

Snowfall also caused slick roads in the Elk Mountain area with several slide-offs handled by Troopers on Interstate 80.  No serious crashes have been reported in that area.

END

Cheyenne – The United States Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), has awarded the Wyoming Highway Patrol their 2010 “MCSAP Leadership Award” for data quality.

The award is given to State agencies in recognition of the greatest overall data quality performance.  The Leadership Award recognizes the extraordinary efforts of the FMCSA’s State partners during the past year who improve the quality and productivity of their commercial motor vehicle safety enforcement programs.

The Award is presented to the State with the greatest overall data quality performance in fiscal year 2009.  It is calculated as the average of seven data quality performance measures: timeliness of inspection and crash reporting; accuracy of inspection and crash reporting; fatal and non-fatal crash completeness; and crash record completeness.  Each measure is scored on a 1 to 100 scale.

The first place award was presented to the Wyoming Highway Patrol during the 5^th annual Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) Leadership Conference held in San Antonio, Texas, in April.

Captain Shannon Ratliff, who is the program manager for the Commercial Carrier Section, said this is the first award of this kind his group has received.  “I couldn’t be prouder”, stated Captain Ratliff.  “This award is indicative of the character of the employees of the Commercial Carrier Section, and of the Wyoming Highway Patrol.  These folks work hard, and it’s especially nice their efforts are recognized in this manner.”

END

Arlington – A traffic stop for a speeding violation on Sunday just before 10:00 a.m. has resulted in the seizure of 3 pounds of high grade marijuana with a street value of approximately $24,000.00.

The traffic stop was made on eastbound Interstate 80 3.5 miles east of Arlington.  A Wyoming Highway Patrol drug detection K-9 alerted near the rear of the 1997 Honda coupe.

Troopers found the marijuana in the trunk of the vehicle in a garment bag.  The driver, 49 year-old Dennis R. Aguilar from Kelseyville, California, has been charged with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Aguilar was en-route from the State of California to the Kansas City area.  The Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation continue to investigate this case.

END

Thermopolis – A Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper patrolling US 20/WYO 789 in the Wind River Canyon was witness to a Burlington Northern freight train derailment into the Big Horn River shortly after noon today.

After the derailment the two engineers aboard the locomotive were able to climb out the side window of the lead locomotive as the cab filled with water.  The two were able to make their way to the safety of the hillside.  The Trooper and the engineers were able to yell back and forth to each other across the river and the two engineers advised they had no serious injuries.

The incident began when the Trooper noticed a huge rock resting on the rail line in the canyon approximately 6 miles south of Thermopolis. The Trooper notified the Wyoming Highway Patrol Dispatch Center in Cheyenne who in turn was on the phone notifying Burlington Northern of the blocked rail.  The Trooper estimated the rock to be about 8 feet across and 6 feet high.

Before Burlington Northern could make notification to their personnel a southbound train struck the rock.  Both lead locomotives and the first three cars derailed with the lead locomotive going into the Big Horn River.

The Big Horn River separates highway US 20/WYO 789 and the railroad line and the Trooper was unable to cross the river.  It has been determined that the locomotives are spilling diesel fuel from their fuel tanks into the river.  In addition, the first rail car behind the locomotives was loaded with bentonite which is also spilling into the river.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Troopers remain on scene to assist the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Department and the Hot Springs County Search and Rescue.  The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality has also been notified of the hazardous material spill into the Big Horn River.

At this time it is unknown how much damage has been done to Burlington Northerns rail line or the quality of the river.  US 20/WYO 789 through the Wind River Canyon remains open to vehicular traffic.

Troopers report snowfall and snow mixed with rain has been falling in the area since last evening.

END