Welcome to the Teton County Sheriff’s Office  Website!   Whether you are interested in joining our team, visiting our area, or just surfing the net, I hope this website is helpful to you.  We have endeavored to make it as user friendly as possible; so sit back, relax and enjoy getting to know a little more about us. 

Jim Whalen
Sheriff

Our Mission Statement
 
It is the mission of the Teton County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with our community, to preserve the peace, seek justice, embrace our roles as public servants and strive to provide a safe environment for all.  We will accomplish this through our commitment to the values of integrity, fairness, compassion, CUSTOMER SERVICE and excellence, forever upholding the constitutional rights of all people.              

Oath of Honor     

Honor, integrity and respect will never be betrayed.  I will always hold myself and others accountable for having the courage to do the right thing.

The Teton County Sheriff’s Office is seeking help in identifying a possible witness to a theft at a hotel in Teton Village.  If anyone knows the identity of the person in the attached video, please call Deputy John LaBrec at 307-733-4052.

<sup>Three local men have been arrested following a cooperative investigation by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson Police Department into a series of vehicle burglaries.  Felony charge combinations include vehicle burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and accessory.

The first to be arrested was 20 year old Kevin Anthony Petersen.  Petersen was arrested on January 14, 2010 for his role in a December vehicle burglary occurring on South Highway 89.

On January 20th, Sgt. Tom Combs of the Teton County Sheriff’s Office secured an arrest warrant charging 23 year old Joseph Jacob Scheller with vehicle burglary and conspiracy to attempt vehicle burglary.  These charges stem from a series of vehicle burglaries occurring near Hoback Junction.  Scheller was arrested Wednesday afternoon by the Nebraska Highway Patrol after he fled Wyoming.
The third suspect, 19 year old Lee Andrew Rollman was arrested on the evening of January 20th for conspiracy to commit burglary and accessory to burglary.
This investigation is continuing and further arrests and charges are anticipated.

Contact:
Captain Scott B. Terry
Teton County Sheriffs Office
180 South King Street
P.O. Box 1885
Jackson, WY 83001
307.733.4052</sup>

On Tuesday, January 19, 2010, at approximately 7:44 p.m., the Teton County, ID Sheriff's Office received three phone calls within one minute from a skier lost in a "meadow area with a nearby stream". The calls were placed by a cell phone with a very poor signal. Sheriff's dispatchers were able to learn that the skier was at Grand Targhee, but in an out of bounds area and became lost. The skier also advised that he had a GPS unit with him, but did not know how to use it. After the three initial calls, no more calls were received.

Search and Rescue members from Teton County, Wyoming and Teton County, Idaho and Grand Targhee ski patrollers began a coordinated search effort.

At approximately 10:55 p.m., ski tracks believed to be those of the missing skier were discovered by Grand Targhee ski patrollers. Ski patrollers followed the tracks for about an hour, however due to avalanche concerns, rough terrain and poor visibility it became increasingly unsafe for patrollers. As such, their search efforts were suspended.

Concurrently, rescuers on snowmobiles were searching the Rick's Canyon area. They were unable to find the skier.

At first light Wednesday morning the Teton County, Wyoming, Sheriff's Search and Rescue helicopter was launched to search for the missing skier. At approximately 8:37a.m. the skier was located in the South Leigh Creek area. When search and rescue members reached the missing skier at approximately 8:59 a.m., he was found to be unresponsive. From observations made at the scene, it appeared the skier had fallen into the creek and was without overnight clothing or survival supplies. The recovered skier was transported via helicopter to St. John's Hospital in Jackson.

The skier, identified as 46 year old Edward Fitzgerald of Forest Hills, New York, was pronounced dead at St. John's Hospital. The Teton County Coroner's Office declared the cause of death as hypothermia.

Contact: Sergeant Tom Combs

Teton County Sheriffs Office
180 South King Street
P.O. Box 1885
Jackson, WY 83001
307.733.4052