An Illinois woman was sentenced to four days in jail, supervised probation, and a one-year ban from Yellowstone National Park after getting too close to a grizzly bear.
Samantha Dehring pleaded guilty to approaching, remaining near to, and photographing wildlife within 100 yards. She was subsequently sentenced to four days in jail, one year of supervised probation, and a one-year ban from Yellowstone, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
Dehring also has to pay a $1,000 fine, $1,000 to the Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund as part of a community service payment, a $30 court processing fee, and a $10 assessment, according to the DOJ statement.
HIKER SUSTAINS ‘SIGNIFICANT INJURIES’ AFTER BEAR ATTACK AT YELLOWSTONE
On May 10, Dehring was caught on video approaching and photographing three grizzly bears, a mother and her cubs, according to a Facebook post from Yellowstone National Park. The mother bear quickly charged toward Dehring, prompting the woman to turn and walk away.
“Oh my god. Oh my god,” a woman says in the background, while another is heard saying that she “got that on video.”
Yellowstone’s park safety rules state visitors must remain “at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves” even if they appear to look calm and approachable. The rules explain that wildlife at the park is “unpredictable.”
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“Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are, indeed, wild. The park is not a zoo where animals can be viewed within the safety of a fenced enclosure,” said acting U.S. Attorney Bob Murray in the DOJ statement.
Murray added that Dehring’s actions were “foolish,” and she remained unharmed by the grizzly bears due to “pure luck.”
