Ranger Vincent Littlewhiteman came upon a Honda parked in front of a cattle gate just east of Chamberlain Pass while on patrol on April 17th. Because the Honda was blocking the gate and because it was parked in an area with a history of fossil poaching activities, Littlewhiteman approached the car to contact the driver, Christopher Thrall, 24, of Lead, South Dakota. The driver’s side window was down and Littlewhiteman smelled a strong odor of marijuana issuing from the Honda. He had Thrall step out of the car and asked him if he had any weapons or narcotics. Thrall said no to the former but offered no answer to the latter. Thrall told Littlewhiteman that he was only a park ranger and that he had no authority; he then lunged at Littlewhiteman, grabbing his shirt pocket in an attempt to retrieve his driver’s license inside. Littlewhiteman told him he was under arrest and a struggle ensued. When the ranger drew his taser, Thrall told him to go ahead and use it because he’d been tasered before and that it didn’t work on him. When Thrall made a move toward the Honda in what appeared to be an effort to obtain a weapon, Littlewhiteman discharged the taser. Thrall turned around and pulled the taser’s barbs from his back, then stumbled and fell to the ground. Littlewhiteman attempted to arrest him, but Thrall resumed fighting. Littlewhiteman then drew out his baton and snapped it open, at which point Thrall submitted to being handcuffed and arrested. During the search incident to arrest, Littlewhiteman recovered about 22 grams of suspected marijuana. Thrall was taken to the county jail. Neither man was injured in the confrontation. Thrall remains in federal custody and felony assault charges are being brought against him by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Thrall is a multi-state offender and has a history of drug arrests.
