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Man jailed for running on Yellowstone’s Old Faithful geyser

Tourists photograph Old Faithful erupting on schedule late in the afternoon of May 2011 in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo. A man was sentenced to 15 days in jail after running onto the geyser multiple times while waving an American flag. (Associated Press)
Associated Press

Associated Press

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. – A 37-year-old Maine man has been sentenced to 15 days in jail for running onto Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful geyser multiple times while wearing a raccoon-skin hat and waving an American flag.

The Casper Star-Tribune reported the man pleaded guilty Thursday to trespassing, was fined $200 and was banned from the park for the July 2020 stunt. Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray says the man would have likely died if he fell through the thermal feature.

The man failed to appear at a court hearing soon after the incident, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was arrested in Maine on June 5 and entered his plea at the Yellowstone Justice Center in the park.

Authorities believe he ran onto the geyser as part of a stunt to attract attention.