AND THE RAINS CAME

I let a fire go yesterday in the hope that it would burn quite a few acres that are in need of having fire run through them. It clouded up very darkly yesterday but today it rained like heck on the fire and it is barely hanging on in the big trees that are on the ground burning under them where it is protected from the rain. Most likely this one will burn out at no significant acreage because of the rain but the rain will make the grass grow so that is OK too. OH WELL - AT LEAST I TRIED.

This morning I got a call from one of my employees requesting that I come out and help him on an investigation of some vandalism. When I got there it was not our jurisdiction so we waited until the Deputh Sheriff arrived and we investigated the scene together. After we finished that we decided that each of the three of us would check the campers on three different roads and see if there was a vehicle with that type of tire on it.

I found a truck at the very end of my road and thought the tires had a tread similar to the tracks we had made plaster casts of. I talked to the person in the camp and they assured me that the truck had not moved since they pulled into the site last night at about 7 until the lady took it to town this morning for more groceries.

I pulled down the road to a large turnout and waited for the Deputy to get finished with his road. When he got there I told him I thought I had the truck located so we went back into the site. The truck had been moved and I believe the woman decided she was going to get out of there but when she pulled down to the road she saw me sitting on the turn out waiting for the Deputy so she drove back and parked the truck.

She was not in the camp site when we got back so we did the tire measurements and compared the tread to the cast - YUP - I believe it is the right truck. When the owners got back to camp they denied anything to do with the vandalism so we discussed it with them and told them that lying to an officer had very serious consequences. They started blubbering about getting an attorney to discuss it with us. The Deputy told them that we would see them later and that he knew where they lived so didn't need any additonal information. We left and went back to the site and compared tracks again - it is the right vehicle - time will tell but my bet is both the man and lady will do time for this vandalism. I feel really sorry for their two little kids.

They could have got by with a simple ticket and requirements to fix the vandalism. The judge won't give them that opportunity when they are dragged into court after more investigation for both the vandalism and for giving false information to an officer. SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN