007 landed himself in some hot water with only one way out – and with no Q to provide some perfect gadget this time. Last week, Pierce Brosnan pleaded guilty to trespassing off the sanctioned path at Yellowstone National Park, a charge that comes with a hefty price tag.
Last autumn, Brosnan was cited for traveling by foot “in all thermal areas and w/in Yellowstone Canyon confined to trails” and “violating closures and use limits.” After pleading guilty, for his trespassing offense Brosnan must pay $1,000 to a Yellowstone nonprofit organization. In the aftermath of this latest legal update, Brosnan issued a statement apologizing for his actions.
Pierce Brosnan pleads guilty to trespassing at Yellowstone National Park
On Thursday morning, Brosnan appeared online for a virtual arraignment and pleaded guilty to walking off of a designation trail at Yellowstone. Brosnan had been faced with that charge, along with allegedly violating a closure at Mammoth Hot Springs, back on November 1 and had originally pleaded not guilty.
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Yellowstone’s official website bids visitors to “always walk on boardwalks and designated trails” to best protect both guests and the “delicate thermal formations.” Off of the boardwalk, groundwater can sometimes reach 250 degrees.
Brosnan was fined $500 and was ordered by a judge to pay $1,000 to the nonprofit organization Yellowstone Forever. Yellowstone Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park is designed to “protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park through education and philanthropy.” Contributions help the team “successfully enhance and preserve the park for future generations.”
Pierce Brosnan issues a statement in response to his actions and plea
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On Thursday, Brosnan took to Instagram to apologize for his actions at Yellowstone. “As an environmentalist I have the utmost respect for and love of our natural world,” he said. “However, I made an impulsive mistake – one that I do not take lightly – when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph.”
He went on, “I did not see a ‘No Trespassing’ sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area. I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area. Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy.”
Steve Sarles, the Yellowstone Ranger division’s emergency medical services director, says that one or two people a year suffer third-degree burns on their bodies after falling into thermal pools of 180 degrees or higher.
