NKyTribune staff report
The search for a Maryland man missing in Big Bone Lick State Park since Thursday night has been called off and he has been charged with Wanton Endangerment 1st Degree against a police officer.
David Lee Rickerson, of Hagerstown, Maryland, is believed to have fired three shots in the direction of the park ranger Thursday evening, causing the park to be shut down and triggering an extensive manhunt.
The park reopened late Friday.
Boone County Sheriff’ deputies and other law enforcement officers spent all day Friday looking for Rickerson, but were unable to locate him and the search was terminated at 5 p.m.
The Boone County Sheriff’s office initially started looking for Rickerson Thursday at about 10:30 p.m. after rangers located a blue Jeep Cherokee with Maryland registration parked in a lot near the lake on the park property.
A registration check identified the man as Rickerson, 62, who had been reported missing, possibly suicidal.
A park ranger who believed Rickerson was fishing after hours, begin searching for him and called out his name.
A media release indicates three shots were fired from an unknown area near the ranger. Boone County Sheriff’s deputies were called in and a search of the area was instituted, but was suspended because of darkness and rough terrain.
Big Bone Lick includes 60 campsites and many campers left the park Thursday. Those that remained were guarded by Boone County Sheriff’s deputies overnight.
An extensive search that involved 31 law enforcement officers was resumed Friday morning at the heavily wooded, 278-acre park property, but there were no sightings of Rickerson.
The Boone County Sheriff’s office, in conjunction with park rangers, have instituted 24-hour patrols in the park and surrounding area.
Rickerson is considered armed and dangerous. The charge against him is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Maj. Bill Mark, Boone County Sheriff’s Patrol Commander, released the following statement late Friday:
Sheriff Michael A. Helmig ordered the search for a missing man in the Big Bone Lick State Park area in Union, Kentucky terminated at 5:00 p.m. Friday, June 17. The investigation which was conducted in conjunction with the search resulted in criminal charges being filed against the missing man.
At around 10:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, the park ranger on duty at Big Bone Lick State Park investigated a blue Jeep Cherokee with Maryland registration parked in the lot near the lake on the park property. After checking the vehicle registration and determining that the vehicle owner was David Lee Rickerson of Hagerstown, Maryland, the ranger checked the lake area under the assumption that Rickerson was fishing after hours. When the ranger called out Rickerson’s name, three shots were fired from an unknown area near the ranger. After requesting assistance from Boone County Sheriff’s Deputies, the ranger learned that Rickerson was reported as a critical missing person by the Washington County, Maryland Sheriff’s Department, and that Rickerson was believed to be armed with a 9-millimeter handgun. Rickerson is a white male, 62 years old with grey hair, last seen wearing a blue polo shirt and blue jeans.
Due to the late hour and difficult terrain, no search was attempted for Rickerson until morning. Sheriff’s Deputies maintained security in the park throughout the night. Any patrons in the campground not wishing to voluntarily evacuate were guarded by Sheriff’s Deputies in the campground.
A full-scale search was initiated Friday morning. 31 members of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department and Florence Police Department SWAT Teams searched 278 acres of heavily wooded park property. They were aided in their search by helicopter support provided by the Kentucky National Guard. Support for the operation was provided by the Florence Police Department, Union EMS/Fire, Boone County and Kentucky Emergency Management, The American Red Cross, and the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK). Boone County Emergency Management utilized reverse-911 to notify residents in a 2-1/2 mile radius of the incident.
Boone County Sheriff’s Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Rickerson, charging him with one count of Wanton Endangerment 1st Degree against a police officer*. This offense is punishable by up to five years imprisonment.
After over eight hours of searching, the decision was made to terminate search operations. During this period there were no sightings of Rickerson in the area. The Boone County Sheriff’s Department will supplement the Park Rangers with 24-hour patrols dedicated to Big Bone Lick State Park and the immediate area.
Rickerson is considered to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should call 911 or contact the Boone County Sheriff’s Department at (859) 334-2175.
*Charges in a criminal complaint are accusations only. It is the government’s burden to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.