Yellowstone Tourist Facing Federal Charges After Allegedly Trying to Enter Hot Springs While Drunk
Yellowstone National Park is no stranger to dumb visitors who venture off designated paths to get a closer look at the iconic hot springs that populate the area. One Michigan man let his drunken intrusive thoughts take over as he allegedly wandered off trail in one of the park's thermal areas.
Forty-nine-year-old Jason Wicks of Hillman, MI was arraigned earlier this week on federal criminal charges of off-trail trespassing in a Yellowstone thermal area and being under the influence “to the degree he was a danger to himself or others,” according to a news release from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office in Wyoming.
Lori Hogan, a spokesperson for the DA's office, told CNN that Wicks' not-so-smart thinking led him to suffer a non-life-threatening injury to his foot during the incident earlier this week. He sustained thermal burns as a result of his actions.
Wicks pleaded not guilty to the counts and has been released as he awaits trial. An investigation into the incident is still underway and a trial date has yet to be set. In the meantime, as part of the conditions of his release, the traveler is banned from entering Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks until the case is resolved.
Yellowstone National Park officials are clear about the dangers of veering off the beaten path in thermal areas. "Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations. Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs," they warn on their website, pointing out, "Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature."
When you go to Yellowstone, just use your head, lest you end up on the infamous "Tourons of Yellowstone" Instagram page.
