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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (AP) — An Oregon man who was arrested following disturbances in three national parks, including one in which a bison was harassed in Yellowstone, will remain jailed until his trial later this month, a judge ruled Wednesday.
The decision came as Raymond Reinke of Pendleton, Oregon, pleaded not guilty to five charges stemming from citations issued in Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks in late July.
Reinke, 55, was arrested Friday in Glacier National Park, where rangers with a warrant said they found him engaged in another disturbance.
U.S. District Judge Mark Carman set Reinke’s trial for Aug. 23, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports.
Carman declined to release Reinke on bond, citing his criminal history and his disregard for the conditions of the $500 bond he posted after being cited for public intoxication, disturbing the peace and interfering with a government employee in Grand Teton National Park. He was to avoid alcohol and follow the law.
Days later, Reinke was cited in Yellowstone for having an open container of alcohol and intentionally disturbing wildlife. Park visitors reported the bison harassment to rangers and at least one visitor captured it on video.
In the video, a man walks up to a bison in a roadway congested with stopped cars and waves his arms. The animal charges him a couple times, but the man is not injured.
Yellowstone officials warn visitors to stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from bison, which can injure tourists who get too close.
After the video gained attention online and Yellowstone officials learned of Reinke’s charges in Grand Teton, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Wyoming asked that Reinke’s bond be revoked and an arrest warrant was issued.
Reinke had told Yellowstone officials his next stop was Glacier National Park. Rangers looking for him there found him when they responded to a disturbance at Many Glacier Hotel, the National Park Service said.
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Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, www.bozemandailychronicle.com
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