Latest news with #Sheriff'sOffice
Los Angeles Times
13 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Should irresponsible hikers be forced to pay for their rescue? This sheriff says yes
The number of rescues in the wilderness areas around Mt. St. Helens keep going up — and the actions of some of those before they call for help have drawn criticism as reckless. One man, 21, kayaked over a waterfall, suffering a spinal injury. A 54-year-old woman glissaded down Mt. St. Helens — sliding down a snow-covered slope — and suffered a head injury when she struck a rock. Each of those rescues in May, in a remote, mountainous county, required six-hour efforts. And one West Coast sheriff is now pondering sending the most egregious victims a bill. The idea would involve a new county ordinance where a person could be cited 'if they are found to be reckless or negligent in their actions where search and rescue is requested to respond,' according to the Sheriff's Office in Skamania County, the remote, sparsely populated county in Washington that is home to Mt. St. Helens. 'I need to find a creative way to deter the current behavior we are witnessing while attempting to recoup the financial burden placed on our county,' Sheriff Summer Scheyer said in a statement. 'This ordinance is still in the planning phase, but I believe it would be an added deterrent for those who take exceptional risks.' The number of search-and-rescue missions soared in May in Skamania County compared to the same month last year, the Sheriff's Office said, with a number of missions taking four to nine hours to complete the rescue. Skamania County isn't alone. In southern Utah, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday announced it was requiring permits for some of the most remote and challenging slot canyons, noting 'a significant increase in search and rescue operations.' Nationwide, the number of national park search-and-rescue operations is in the thousands — 3,308 in 2023 — which can entail anything from a child who is separated from their parents to a hiker who is lost in the backcountry. The idea of forcing irresponsible hikers to pay for their rescue has come up before. In New Hampshire, the state says people may be required to pay back the costs to rescue them. One way to avoid such charges is buying 'Hike Safe Cards' — $25 per person and $35 per family — that supports the state's search-and-rescue efforts. One recent rescue that gained attention involved a pair of hikers who had to be rescued after they hiked despite a forecast of rain, sleet and snow in the middle of January, went off a marked trail and feared they were hypothermic. Rescuers had to break a trail — for three-quarters of a mile in steep terrain — to get to the hikers. 'The pair were found to be inadequately prepared for the conditions that were forecasted,' the Fish and Game Department said in a news release, and neither had Hike Safe Cards. In 2013 in California, a massive search-and-rescue operation was launched in Orange County for two hikers, Nicolas Cendoya, 19, and Kyndall Jack, 18. They called for help after going on an Easter Sunday hike in Trabuco Canyon and became lost. The cellphone they used to make the call stopped working before authorities could identify their location. Cendoya was found three days later, shoeless and disoriented half a mile from their car, and Jack, the day after, in shoulder-high brush. After authorities found methamphetamine in the vehicle, which the pair had parked before the hike, some government officials called for the $160,000 rescue bill to be paid back. Cendoya pleaded guilty to one felony count of drug possession but was eligible for a drug-diversion program, which if completed successfully would mean he could have the case against him dismissed. Court records indicated the case was dismissed in 2015. A judge, however, denied the Orange County Fire Authority's request that the agency get back the $55,000 it spent on the search for the pair, saying the fire agency was not a victim of a crime and couldn't seek restitution. In response, California lawmakers changed the law to allow government officials to seek reimbursement for future rescues, with certain conditions. Signed into law in 2015, the law allows a county or city to seek reimbursement for the costs of a rescue if it required 'the use of extraordinary methods,' and 'was caused by an intentional act in knowing violation' of any law 'that resulted in a criminal conviction of that person for that act.' But a county can't collect if the person rescued can't afford to pay. The county also can't collect more than $12,000 unless the person rescued was convicted of a felony. Although Orange County did not recoup its costs, the hikers did face other legal action to hold them financially accountable. Jack was sued by a volunteer rescuer who was injured during the search, falling more than 100 feet, according to the rescuer's attorneys. The volunteer, who accused Jack of negligently putting rescuers in danger, received $100,000 as part of a legal settlement, paid from a homeowner's insurance policy held by Jack's mother. The rescuer's attorney said Cendoya also settled with the rescuer for an undisclosed amount of money. Some search-and-rescue organizations don't support the idea of charging people needing rescue. 'No one should ever be made to feel they must delay in notifying the proper authorities of a search or rescue incident out of fear of possible charges,' the Mountain Rescue Assn. says. In a position paper in 2009, the association said that most services that rescue people in the mountains in the U.S. 'are provided by teams of unpaid professional rescue mountaineers who give up their own time to participate in search and rescue activities.' 'The typical search and rescue mission is over within a matter of a few hours, and with the vast majority of the work performed by unpaid professional volunteers, the costs are generally very low,' Charley Shimanski, then the president of the Mountain Rescue Assn., said in a statement. 'It's true that teams are sometimes over-taxed, and that newcomers to the backcountry call 911 in questionable circumstances,' the Colorado Search and Rescue Assn. said. 'Yet we still don't believe charging for services is the answer. We know from experience that when people think they're going to be charged, they often delay calling, or even intentionally evade, rescuers.' Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
An attorney general who HELPS bad guys and targets cops? Yep: Meet NY's Letitia James
You'd think the job of a state attorney general is to hunt down bad guys, or at least help other law-enforcement nab them, but just try telling that to New York AG Letitia James — who's now busy targeting good guys, i.e, local law-enforcement officials who (heaven forfend!) even think about helping the feds detain illegal immigrants. As The Post exclusively reported, James has demanded that Oswego County's Sheriff's Office hand over documents that may show cooperation with federal agencies such as ICE and Homeland Security. Advertisement This follows her similar bullying of Nassau County's Sheriff's Office in the wake of reports that it has the nerve to help the feds enforce immigration law. Sources say she's likely to target more counties. To James, it seems, aiding immigration enforcement is the crime of the century, so she'll use all her power to stop it. Advertisement Please. Doesn't her office have anything better to do? Yes, we know: New York's wacko statutes and executive orders by Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul purport to restrict local cops' efforts to help federal agents enforce immigration law. Yet surely there's enough other work for her staff to focus on. Crime statewide, for starters, rose 31% from 2019 to 2023, and 46% in the city. Where's James & Co. been? Advertisement Besides, 80% of New Yorkers want the feds to boot illegal migrants who've been convicted of crimes, a Siena poll found. Then again, James also used her office to war on President Donald Trump — and anyone who does his bidding — for years; rarely a day goes by without her taking some legal action against him or his team. Just last week, she sued Trump for moving to overturn California's EV mandates; the day before, for deploying the National Guard in Los Angeles. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Advertisement Not to mention her attempt to bankrupt Trump to keep him from running in 2024. Of course, James spent her years as NYC's public advocate filing endless Hail-Mary lawsuits, too; none of it did much for regular New Yorkers, but it raised her profile enough to let her grab the AG job after scandal forced out Eric Schneiderman. But, sorry: Endless pandering to the Democratic Party's left-wing base isn't a serious statewide winner even in New York; the press corps (most of which is part of that base) may eat it up, but most voters won't. They still think public servants are supposed to . . . serve the public.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Two-year-old boy found dead on camping holiday after disappearing from caravan
The toddler, who had been staying in a trailer with his family, is believed to have left their mobile home without anyone noticing. A two-year-old boy who went missing from a caravan during a family camping trip for Father's Day has tragically been found dead. The toddler, who had been staying in a trailer with his family, is believed to have left their mobile home without anyone noticing. Early on Saturday his family reported him missing while they were camping in the Manorlands area of Utah, the Summit County Sheriff's Office said. A passer-by reportedly found the boy unresponsive in a drainage or runoff ditch, around one mile downstream from where he had been camping with his family, at around 11.15am. The Sheriff's Office reported that the two-year-old was rushed to a hospital in Wyoming before being moved to a Salt Lake City hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An investigation has been launched and, as reported by the Mirror, authorities are looking into when the boy was last seen alive. It is thought to have been a "tragic accident", officials have said. The Sheriff's spokesperson, Skyler Talbot, told local news outlets: "We are fairly early in the investigation. However, at this time, there's nothing to indicate this is more than a tragic accident. "We are going to be working with the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner, and we hope to have some preliminary results from them as to the cause and manner of death, hopefully in the coming days." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. It is unclear exactly how far away it was from their campsite to the water where the boy was found, but Talbot said it was within eyesight and walking distance. The spokesperson said: "It's certainly not lost on us that this is Father's Day. This is incredibly tragic. There's a mother who's lost her son; there's a father who's lost his son; and there's a grieving family. "We are going to investigate this fully, but right now, our thoughts are with the family during this time."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Boy, two, found dead after disappearing from family's caravan on camping holiday
During a holiday with his family, a two-year-old disappeared from their campsite and was later found around a mile downstream. He was taken to hospital but tragically pronounced dead A two-year-old boy has tragically been found dead after he went missing from a caravan during a family camping trip for Father's Day. The toddler had been staying in a trailer with his family and is believed to have left their mobile home without anyone noticing. His family reported him missing early on Saturday while they had been camping in the Manorlands area of Utah, the Summit County Sheriff's Office said. At around 11.15am, a passerby reportedly found the boy unresponsive in a drainage or runoff ditch around one mile downstream from where he had been camping with his family. The Sheriff's Office reported that the two-year-old was taken to a hospital in Wyoming, US, before being moved to a Salt Lake City hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An investigation has been launched, and authorities are looking into when the boy was last seen alive. It is thought to have been a "tragic accident", officials have said. The Sheriff's spokesperson, Skyler Talbot, told local news outlets: "We are fairly early in the investigation. However, at this time, there's nothing to indicate this is more than a tragic accident. "We are going to be working with the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner, and we hope to have some preliminary results from them as to the cause and manner of death, hopefully in the coming days." According to Talbot, there was a "large number" of the boy's family camping in the same area. It is unclear exactly how far away it was from their campsite to the water where the boy was found, but Talbot said it was within eyesight and walking distance. The spokesperson said: "It's certainly not lost on us that this is Father's Day. This is incredibly tragic. There's a mother who's lost her son; there's a father who's lost his son; and there's a grieving family. We are going to investigate this fully, but right now, our thoughts are with the family during this time."
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Jason Corbett's killers Molly and Tom Martens can now move freely in US as manslaughter parole period terminated
KILLERS Molly and Tom Martens can now move freely in the US. The evil pair were caged for battering 6 Killers Molly and Tom Martens can now move freely in the US Credit: Davidson County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina 6 The evil pair were caged for battering Jason Corbett to death in 2015 Credit: PR Handout 6 They were recently freed after a 2023 appeal saw a murder conviction overturned But they were recently freed after a 2023 appeal saw After They were also subject to monitoring by officials in Davidson County, North Carolina. But records from the North Carolina Department of Corrections reveal the devil duo's one-year parole period was officially terminated on June 6. Read more in News With neither of them coming to the attention of authorities during their parole period, it means they can now move freely within the United States and live together in the family home. Records confirm their parole status has been officially changed to 'inactive'. Twisted Tom and Molly have recently appeared in a In A Deadly American Marriage, which airs on the streaming giant, Tom shows no remorse for battering Jason to death with a baseball bat and a concrete brick. Most read in Irish News Instead the beast, who claimed self-defence, declares: 'I have no regrets.' Jason's cousin Nuala Galvin branded Martens as 'callous' as supporters of the Corbett family joined her in slamming unrepentant Tom. Molly Martens Released from Prison: A Controversial Freedom One blasted: 'He's a scumbag. Hopefully karma will creep up on him when he least expects it and both he and that witch get what's coming to them.' Dad-of-two Jason moved to the US after meeting au pair Molly in Before meeting Martens, Jason lived in Limerick with his wife Margaret 'Mags' and their two children, Jack and Sarah. In 2006, Mags sadly died unexpectedly after suffering an asthma attack. Two years later, Jason hired a then-31-year-old Molly Martens to be an au pair to his two children. However, Jason and Martens quickly began a relationship and married just three years after meeting. They decided to move to the United States and settled in Lexington, North Carolina, which neighboured Martens' home state of Tennessee. On August 2, 2015, Thomas Martens - Molly Martens' father - phoned the emergency services and said that Jason was badly injured. 'DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE' Both Thomas and Molly Martens said that Jason had died during a 'domestic disturbance'. Molly Martens had the house industrially cleaned just hours after being released from police custody, making it difficult for the police to properly investigate Jason's death. Martens applied for custody of Jack and Sarah, despite Tracey Lynch being named as their guardian in Jason's will. Thomas Martens claimed that he saw Jason strangling Molly, prompting him to wrestle his son-in-law to the ground. He alleged that Molly Martens then struck Jason with a paving stone, before he also hit Jason with a baseball bat. Jack and Sarah both told a social worker that their father had suffered from anger management issues, though Jack later rescinded his statements and claimed that Molly had told him what to say. Authorities discovered that Jason had been planning to move back to Ireland on August 21, 2015, and also found that there was no evidence of a struggle between Jason and Thomas Martens. Molly Martens and her father were arrested and charged with second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter in relation to Jason's death. SECOND TRIAL The pair were found guilty of the second-degree murder charge and were sentenced to a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 25 years in prison. On March 12, 2021, the Martens were granted a second trial due to Sarah and Jack's statements being excluded from being used by defence lawyers. Thomas and Molly Martens accepted plea bargains, which offered them the reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter. They were sentenced in November 2023 to between 51 and 74 months in prison. On June 6, 2024, they were released upon completing their sentences. With the one-year parole period officially over, as of June 6 this year they can now move freely about the US. 6 After they walked free, Tom and his daughter Molly were subject to strict parole conditions Credit: Scott Muthersbaugh 6 Records confirm the duo's one-year parole period was officially terminated on June 6 Credit: Scott Muthersbaugh 6 Tom showed no remorse for killing Jason in a recent interview for a Netflix documentary
