Pierce Brosnan, a former “James Bond” star, pleaded guilty Thursday to a trespassing charge after the Hollywood star entered a dangerous off-limits hot spring while hiking last year in Yellowstone National Park.
According to TMZ, the 70-year-old Hollywood star changed his plea to “guilty” on Thursday after previously pleading “not guilty” in January. Fox News reported that Brosnan was fined $500 and that the actor is also required to donate $1,000 to the Yellowstone Forever nonprofit organization by the beginning of April.
TMX reported that Brosnan, who originally faced two charges for illegally trespassing in a restricted area at Yellowstone National Park, agreed to plead guilty as part of a plea deal that led to his second charge being dropped. According to Fox News, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick dismissed Brosnan’s charge for violating closures and use limits.
The Messenger reported in November that a U.S. District Court had cited Brosnan for “foot travel in a thermal area,” as well as a “closure violation” at Mammoth Terrace. According to The Daily Mail, the original charges against Brosnan included a maximum penalty of $5,000 and up to six months in prison.
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In a post on Instagram, Brosnan claimed that he has the “utmost respect” and “love” for the “natural world” as a self-declared environmentalist.
“I made an impulsive mistake – one that I do not take lightly – when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph. I did not see a ‘No Trespassing’ sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area,” Brosnan stated. “I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area. Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy.”
According to warnings on the National Park Service’s website, the hot springs at Yellowstone National Park “have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature.” The Daily Wire reported that despite the warnings, tourists at the national park have continued to enter restricted areas, putting themselves in danger.
“Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations,” the National Parks Service states on its website. “Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.”
