Posted on 10/08/2021 7:16:50 AM PDT by SJackson
A judge has sentenced an Illinois woman to four days in jail for not moving away while a grizzly bear with two cubs came dangerously close and bluff-charged her in Yellowstone National Park.
Samantha R. Dehring, 25, of Carol Stream, Illinois, pleaded guilty Wednesday to willfully remaining, approaching and photographing wildlife within 100 yards (91 meters).
In addition to sentencing Dehring to jail, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs banned her from Yellowstone for a year and ordered her to pay a $1,000 fine and $1,000 to a wildlife protection fund.
Dehring's attorney, Ethan Morris, didn't immediately return a phone message Thursday seeking comment.
She encountered the bear May 10 at Roaring Mountain, a hillside with numerous noisy steam vents called fumaroles.
Video of the encounter was widely shared on social media. On May 25, the park posted a photo of the woman along with a plea for tips that could help identify her.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
The popular culture sees bears as cuddly and cute. Some idiots actually believe they are. This woman surely has learned her lesson, and I don’t think jail time is appropriate. A fine, yes. Jail, no.
From the picture; the bear's last meal would have been a good one.
When a bear bluff charges, one should take it as a final warning to back off. The bear is feeling threatened.
I have mixed feelings about this. The signs are prominently posted throughout the park to keep specified distances from certain wildlife, particularly bears and buffalo/bison. I can understand several reasons, not that I care about protecting Darwin candidates from getting gored. But the risk to rescue personnel or to the animal itself (probably have to be put down once it gets taste for humans) is one reason for these rules. Many people are too stupid to know better, always in search of their latest Instagram photo.
On the other hand, I travel with my dog now and its annoying that most of the park trails wont allow pets even on a leash. I can understand off leash restrictions. But clearly stupid people with poorly behaved animals ruin it for everyone else who has well behaved animals. And my dog loves to go on hikes with us. He also loves to swim and it was annoying that recently, in Yellowstone, they wont allow dogs in the river in places where people are allowed. I feel like he is in doggy jail.
Tip - the park rangers have no sense of humor about testing their rules. I did. I was probably lucky I didnt get fined or kicked out from camp. But it was worth it to see my dog get to romp in the warm spring water for about 10 minutes.
How the hell is anyone supposed to know that being within a football fields length of wildlife is a jaila Le offense.
I'm giving a ZERO for 19th century mountain man authenticity.
........... CBS........................
If only that bear had eaten Opie..!
That’s Opie’s brother Clint...............
Idiot. No more. No less.
There's too many crimes in America that are punishable by a jail sentence. This shouldn't be one of them. Give her a fine and move on.
Sure, it's only four days but for many Americans, four days in jail would cost them their job. Not to mention, jail is a very dangerous place and could potentially cost someone far more than that.
Do you back away slowly from a bear? Do you run away as fast as you can? Some animals take it as an invitation to chase you if you run. I don’t know about how bears interpret it.
“wilfully remaining...”
Sounds like a January 6 charge.
People ARE stupid. She’s lucky she survived, but would have been a fine meal for the bear & cubs. And judges ate stupid too. Community service would be more appropriate..like at the morgue.
“Maybe we should relocate the Park Rangers to Chicago.”
Think of how many people they could arrest for approaching within 100 yards of dangerous wildlife.
The woman was stupid. But it bothers me that the government has made a crime of being stupid.
If you back away slowly from a bear, the bear will interpret this as “This one’s for dessert.”
If you run from a bear, the bear will interpret this as “Must be mighty tasty.”
Yep, the whole truth of the matter:
“The problem comes if the bear actually does snarf the woman. Then the rangers have to find the bear and destroy it.
The bear gets the blame for the dumb human.”
Putting her in jail for this is stupid. US already has the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world. No wonder US is viewed as having one of the worst criminal legal systems on the planet rivaling NK and China.
We don’t have a “justice” system, it’s a legal system designed to attack the peasants and other deplorables that don’t kiss the government’s a**
I think a lot of conservatives are just waking up to this reality after January 6 and AG Garland’s plan to go after parents at school board meetings.
Should just let her win the Darwin prize. With brains like that, she won’t be on this earth long.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.