Actor Pierce Brosnan has pleaded not guilty to allegedly wandering into a ‘delicate’ and dangerous protected hot springs at Yellowstone National Park.
The James Bond star entered a plea via a paper filing on January 4 over the November 2023 incident in the US District Court for Wyoming, according to Cowboy State Daily.
Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick granted the 70-year-old’s request to cancel his initial appearance, setting up a virtual conference for February 20 instead.
Brosnan was cited twice over the alleged violations at the thermals in the Mammoth Terraces section of the park, and had been due to appear in court on January 23.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place on November 1. A photo uploaded to an account exposing ‘tourons’ (tourist morons) of Yellowstone showed him on the snow-encrusted springs.
The James Bond star, seen here standing on the springs, entered a plea through a paper filing on January 4 in the US District Court for Wyoming
Brosnan took his hike despite previously starring in a film highlighting the potential dangers of such springs – Dante’s Peak.
The 1997 film revolves around volcanologist Harry Dalton, played by Brosnan, in the fictional town of Dante’s Peak where the citizens fight to withstand an eruption.
One scene involves Brosnan’s character stumbling across two people who have been boiled to death in a hot spring.
Brosnan was charged with Foot Travel in a Thermal Area and Closure Violation, according to court documents filed earlier this month.
The Mammoth Terraces are a popular feature in Yellowstone, constantly changing in color and activity.
Federal rules stipulate visitors to national parks must stay on the designated walkways.
Venturing off the boardwalk is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
The Irish star had been in the area filming ‘The Unholy Trinity,’ a Western starring Brosnan as a sheriff alongside Samuel L. Jackson.
The 1997 film revolves around volcanologist Harry Dalton, played by Brosnan, in the fictional town of Dante’s Peak
The Irish star had been in the area filming ‘The Unholy Trinity,’ a Western starring Brosnan as a sheriff alongside Samuel L. Jackson. He is seen here in ‘Dante’s Peak’
The James Bond actor is accused of leaving the designated walkway and attempting to access thermals at Mammoth Terraces
Brosnan is just the latest tourist to try to bend the rules at the stunning national park.
At least 22 people have died from burns sustained in Yellowstone’s springs and geysers.
They include Colin Nathaniel Scott, who is thought to have dissolved in the hot acidic water after leaving the boardwalk at the park’s Norris Geyser Basin in search of a place to soak in 2015.
Similarly, the foot of Il Hun Ro, 70, was discovered by a National Parks employee after apparently falling in.
In 2021, a Connecticut woman jailed for seven days, fined $2,000 and banned from Yellowstone for two years for leaving the walkway and approaching the thermals.
Water temperatures at Mammoth Terraces’ springs routinely soar to 161 degrees, while some springs at Yellowstone can register as low as 2 on the pH scale – just one mark above coercive stomach acid.
He was issued two citations and is due to appear virtually in court on February 20 after pleading not guilty
In June, shocking video emerged of a couple ignoring warnings at they attempted to touch 175-degree geysers elsewhere in the park.
A woman was seen screaming in pain as she plunged her hand into the hot springs.
The clip was shared on the Instagram page TouronsofYellowstone, which regularly documents abuses and poor behavior in the park.
Most recently, a tourist was seen destroying delicate moose vegetation by driving off-road in a car.
In addition to his four James Bond films, Brosnan starred in the 1980s TV series ‘Remington Steele’ and is known for roles in the films ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ and ‘The Thomas Crown Affair.’