Wyoming news briefs for October 8

Posted 10/8/21

News from across Wyoming.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Wyoming news briefs for October 8

Posted

Woman sentenced to four days in grizzly photo incident

JACKSON — An Illinois woman who got too close to a Yellowstone grizzly family so she could take photos was sentenced to four days in custody and other penalties, including a one-year ban from the national park.

In a press release, Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray said Samantha R. Dehring, 25, pleaded guilty to willfully remaining, approaching and photographing wildlife within 100 yards.  The other count, feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentionally disturbing wildlife, was dismissed.

An Illinois woman who got too close to a Yellowstone grizzly family so she could take photos was sentenced to four days in custody and other penalties, including a one-year ban from the national park.

In a press release, Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray said Samantha R. Dehring, 25, pleaded guilty to willfully remaining, approaching and photographing wildlife within 100 yards.  The other count, feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentionally disturbing wildlife, was dismissed.

———

Outdoor equipment manufacturer looks at Riverton

RIVERTON — An outdoor equipment manufacturer is considering moving to Riverton with funding assistance from Fremont County’s new half percent sales tax for economic development. 

Kifaru International currently is located in Denver, but its new owners want to move the operation to an area with “more favorable taxes and a better workforce to draw from,” according to the company’s application for the development tax funding. 

The undertaking involves the purchase of a new building — potentially the old Big R facility on Sunset Drive, Riverton Mayor Richard Gard said during a Riverton City Council meeting this week. 

Once its new facility is renovated, Kifaru said it would relocate some of its “key employees” to Riverton and “train a new local staff to be able to manufac- ture our products.” 

“They have stated that they will bring somewhere between 12 and 18 of their current employees with them from their current location and hopefully (hire) 20 to maybe 60 employees to do their work,” Gard said Tuesday. 

“So the (money) that we’re helping them with is definitely going to create jobs in Riverton.” 

Kifaru requested $80,000 from the city’s Evolve, Diversify and Grow our Economy Committee, which was formed to help distribute the half percent sales tax money. 

On Tuesday the Riverton City Council directed municipal staff to prepare a funding agreement with Kifaru for consideration during a future meeting. 

———

Man sentenced to prison in high-speed chase

CODY — A man who pleaded guilty to stealing a Powell vehicle, engaging in two near-miss collisions, running through a deployed spike strip, and leading authorities from the Wyoming Highway Patrol, Park County Sheriff’s Office and Cody Police Department on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of 125 mph in February has been sentenced to prison.

On Sept. 29, Park County District Court Judge Bill Simpson sentenced Garrett Bailey to 5-7 years in prison. Bailey must pay more than $7,000 in restitution to the owner of the stolen vehicle, Wyoming Highway Patrol and Harding County, N.M.

Bailey, 27, pleaded guilty to theft of property valued at more than $1,000 while the six other felony and misdemeanor charges against him were dismissed.

He stole a Ford Edge from Blair’s Market in Powell and started making his way to Cody thereafter. Heading toward Cody, Bailey nearly collided head-on with a sheriff deputy’s vehicle, but swerved at the last moment to avoid the crash. Bailey later turned left onto the Oregon Basin Road at a high rate of speed, causing a deputy to slide into a barrow ditch and get their patrol vehicle stuck when they were unable to follow the sharp turn. An estimated $3,109 in damage was caused to the patrol car.

Deputies then deployed a spike strip on the road, which Bailey ran over after turning around on the Oregon Basin Road. He pulled over shortly after and gave himself up peacefully.