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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — “This is the park service. Get on the boardwalk!” said an official with Yellowstone National Park after witnessing a man walking on the cone of Old Faithful last Friday.
A witness captured the incident on video. In the video, the man appears to be urinating into the geyser. He then lays down next to the geyser.
The man was arrested following the incident and charged with multiple violations, including being off-trail in a thermal area.
The man has since been released on bond, but remains under investigation.
“We take these cases very seriously,” said Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk, “The law requires people to stay on boardwalks or marked trails in thermal areas. Anyone who ignores this law risks their life and possibly the lives of emergency personnel.”
The park is unable to release a name or additional details at this time.
Geysers and hot springs are incredibly dangerous. Many people have been injured or killed by underestimating that danger.
This is the second incident for park officials in the last six weeks. Last month, a man was arrested for taunting a buffalo inside the park. He was later sentenced to 130 days in jail.
