Some days are busier than others for Rangers. Some people correlate these busy days to the phase of the moon. Others to the rise in temperatures. And some days, there just really isn’t an explanation. Yesterday, June 8th, was one of those days. Temperatures were cool, especially for June. The moon phase was waxing crescent, not even close to being a full moon. And yet… it was a busy day.
A Ranger on patrol at Walnut Woods Metro Park observed a visitor acting suspiciously. She contacted our dispatch to run the vehicle license plate and turns out the driver had a warrant from Lancaster, Ohio. Our friends at Lancaster very much wanted the individual to have a meeting with the judge. Madison Township Police were contacted, and were happy to make that meeting happen. Madison Township officers ended up arresting both individuals and transported them to jail.
Rangers at Highbanks Metro Park assisted a runner who had sprained their ankle out on the trail. They were able to locate the individual quickly, provide first aid, and transport them off the trail and to their vehicle. This is a good reminder to keep the number to the Ranger cell phone in your own cell phone. Each park has one, and the numbers are located at the Ranger station and bulletin boards. The Ranger cell phone number for each park is also listed on the webpage for each park at www.metroparks.net. Call us if you need assistance or to report safety concerns. We are here to help.
Rangers at Three Creeks Metro Park made contact with a group of scouts who were riding the Ohio To Erie Trail from Cincinnati to Cleveland. One of the scouts hurt their leg and the scout leader requested the Ranger call a squad. The individual was treated at the park by medics and the group continued on their way. We wish them luck on their adventure!
Finally, a Ranger at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park was on patrol and observed a vehicle on fire at the intersection of Darby Creek Drive and Alkire Road. Turns out this may have been a little case of Karma. The driver of the pick-up truck threw a cigarette butt out the window, which, in case you don’t know, is actually considered littering and against the law. That cigarette butt ended up in the bed of the truck. In the bed of the truck was a bunch of debris, which the cigarette ignited. That’s right, the driver lit his own vehicle on fire. Karma. Now the Ranger arrived on scene to find the driver pulling items out of the bed of the truck in attempts to keep his actual truck from catching fire. All he was really doing was causing the grass around the truck to catch on fire. The Ranger used the fire extinguisher from the patrol truck to help extinguish the fire. A citizen who also had a fire extinguisher in their vehicle, stopped to help as well. Between the the two of them, they were able to reduce the fire to a smoldering pile, until the local Fire Department arrived on scene and doused the bed of the truck completely.