Posted on 04/10/2026 12:25:26 PM PDT by xxqqzz
YELLOWSTONE, Wyo. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently announced that a Texas man was sentenced after pleading guilty to walking off the designated boardwalk in a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park.
A release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office says that Eric Bedient, 50, of Frisco, Texas, was sentenced to five days’ incarceration on March 31 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick.
According to court documents, Bedient left the boardwalk and walked directly on several fragile and dangerous hydrothermal features in the Mammoth Hot Springs area.
Those features included Canary Spring, Mound Terrage, Palette Hot Spring and Jupiter Terrace.
The release states that the sentence reflects the extensive nature of the violation, the damage Bedient’s footprints left behind and his failure to educate himself about Yellowstone National Park’s regulations.
“Yellowstone’s thermal areas are among the most dangerous natural features in the world,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “Mr. Bedient’s disregard for the law could have cost him his life. Prosecuting crimes like this deters others from similar conduct — and from risking becoming thermal soup. We will continue to hold individuals accountable to protect lives and preserve this unique, irreplaceable landscape when their actions threaten these national treasures for future generations.”
(Excerpt) Read more at oilcity.news ...
Thing is, somebody has to clean up the mess. The Park authority made some namby-pamby call that dissolving corpses are bad for tourism. I say live-stream it on TikTok and make a fortune.
I remember in Carlsbad Caverns years ago you could see where someone had left the paved walkway, walked over to look down into some pit in the caverns. I showed it to the ranger when he came by.
An acquaintance of ours said when she was little, and on her first trip to Yellowstone, a family stopped, one little boy jumped out, ran to a pool and jumped in. Instant screaming and death. When the rangers arrived they came with a net as his body had boiled and fell apart on retrieval.
climb the off limits Morro Rock in Morro Bay, CA. They get saved,
= = =
Do they get stuck and need saving, or do they just get discovered and the law sicced on them?
I have been there, and climbing that rock is tempting.
it is also very acidic and bodies can just dissolve.
= = =
Maybe tell some Democrats that Republicans don’t want them to jump into that pool.
Adding to my list: "Crimes only white people are convicted of"
Da'Quarious Jackson can have 38 arrests under his belt without spending a minute in jail but medical device sales rep Eric Bedient, who probably doesn't have so much as a speeding ticket gets to spend a work week in a Texas jail for stepping on rocks.
Bedient is white.
Only blacks get stern talking to's for pushing people in front of trains.
Are we paying attention yet?
“for stepping on rocks.”
Please, put some truth in your posts.
It occurs for both situations. If it is minors they will call the parents to come pick up their kids.
Good grief. So I'm supposed to get upset that this guy stepped on "hydrothermal vents" (aka rocks that are hot) as I watch countless black repeat offenders for violent street crimes and rampant thievery get passed through our revolving door "justice system" without a slap on the wrist?
Pay attention.
He was certainly old enough to understand the why of the warnings, but chose to do the wrong things anyway. He was apparently lucky he escaped possible death & deserved the jail time.
Not suggesting that true justice always works out in every case, as it apparently does not.
The Bison are really friendly too. And if you’re lucky, you can pet some wolf puppies
OMG thanks for the belly laugh!
Jeeze, the guy could have set off the super volcano and ended the world and that’s all he gets?
Motto Bsy, I know a older skateboarding guy who lives there
Sounds like maybe you too have read the book Death in Yellowstone.
Anyway, the internet continues to amaze me.
The boardwalk and the warning signs are there for a reason.
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