craterlake.jpg

Crater Lake, July 19, 2015. (Mike Zacchino/Staff)

A man and woman accused of trying to break into or steal the fee collection tube at an entrance to Crater Lake National Park -- with a drill, hammer, crowbar, Ford Taurus and finally a reciprocating saw -- face federal indictment.

The indictment charges each with conspiring to commit theft of government property and depredation of government property.

About 4 a.m. on Nov. 17, John William Moeller tried repeatedly to break open the visitor fee collection container at the park's Annie Creek entrance, according to the indictment filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Medford.

First, Moeller drilled holes in the box, then tried to pry it open with a hammer and crowbar, the indictment said. When that didn't work, he tried to pull the box from its mount by chaining it to his Ford Taurus and eventually rammed it with his car, according to federal prosecutors.

Unsuccessful, Moeller and his girlfriend, Lindsey Lorraine Johnson, returned the next day with a reciprocating saw to try to cut the box open, the indictment says.

Johnson is accused of handing tools to Moeller, shining a flashlight on the box to help him break into it and accessing some of the fee envelopes and enclosed cash, according to the indictment.

Vehicles entering the park must pay a $10 fee at the entrance stations. After hours, visitors must pay the $10 fee at the self-pay station by placing money in an envelope and depositing the envelope in a metal fee collection tube. The tube is padlocked and also locked in a receiver embedded in the ground with access only by park workers, according to U.S. National Park Service ranger Shane A. Rogers.

Rogers found the damaged fee collection tube and reviewed surveillance video of the vandalism. He said Moeller spent about 25 minutes trying to steal the tube.

When Moeller returned to the site the second time -- about 2:30 a.m. Nov. 18 -- the park ranger was watching, according to his affidavit.

Moeller had driven his car directly beside the fee collection tube. When the ranger approached the driver's side of the car, Moeller motioned to the damaged fee tube, and said, "Sure looks like someone had a good time over there," the affidavit said. The ranger spotted several fee collection envelopes strewn inside the car.

According to the ranger's affidavit, Moeller, of Bonanza, admitted to trying to steal the tube, saying he was broke and needed the money. Moeller was driving with a suspended license and had no proof of insurance or registration for the car, the affidavit said.

Johnson told the ranger she had no idea "this is what they were coming to the park to do'' and said she was very upset with Moeller, the ranger wrote in his affidavit.

Fee envelopes were found between the driver's seat and center console and on the floorboard below and beside the front passenger seat. The pair are accused of stealing less than $1,000 in park visitor fees but causing more than $1,000 in damage to the government property.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian