Pierce Brosnan was reportedly cited for hiking in a dangerous “thermal area” of Yellowstone National Park
Irish actor Pierce Brosnan has been issued a ticket after entering a restricted zone at Wyoming’s Yellowstone national park, multiple media outlets reported, citing court records.
The 70-year-old was cited for “foot travel in a thermal area” of Yellowstone during a trip to the vast nature reserve last month, according to documents reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.
The actor – who had been filming for the upcoming movie ‘Unholy Trinity’ in nearby Montana – was also cited for “violating closures and use limits” at Yellowstone. While it remains unclear whether he will be charged criminally, such cases can carry fines and up to six months behind bars, according to the Justice Department.
Safety guidelines on the park’s website urge visitors to “always walk on boardwalks and designated trails,” noting that thermal formations such as geysers and hot springs can “cause severe or fatal burns.”
“New hazards can bubble up overnight, and pools are acidic enough to burn through boots, so you must stay in designated walking areas. The park service has established boardwalks for an easy and safe approach to thermal features,” the guidelines state.
According to NBC News, at least 20 people have been killed by Yellowstone’s natural thermal features since 1890.
Thousands of tourists travel to the 2.2 million acre (9,000 sq km) park each year, many drawn to its scenic views, as well as its numerous steam vents, hot springs and geysers – notably the ‘Old Faithful,’ which has erupted on a predictable hourly basis for decades.
Earlier this year, a Michigan man suffered severe burns after allegedly meandering into a restricted area of the park while intoxicated. He was later charged with federal crimes over the incident, with US attorneys deeming the man a “danger to himself or others.” He has since pleaded not guilty.
Brosnan has been reportedly ordered to appear at a US District Court in Wyoming on January 23 to begin his legal proceedings.
The actor is well known for his lead roles in James Bond films throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the fifth actor to portray the British super spy. Brosnan has appeared in dozens of Hollywood productions over his four-decade career, most recently ‘The Rifleman’ and the forthcoming ‘Unholy Trinity,’ in which he will co-star with Samuel L. Jackson.
