Pierce Brosnan has pleaded not guilty to venturing into an area of Yellowstone National Park that is off-limits to visitors.
The actor, known for playing James Bond, was issued two federal citations last month that accuse him of petty offenses on Nov. 1: “foot travel in all thermal areas and w/in Yellowstone Canyon confined to trails” and “violating closures and use limits,” according to a court document filed in U.S. District Court in Wyoming.
NBC Montana reported that Brosnan, 70, had been at the Yellowstone Film Ranch while filming a new Western, “The Unholy Trinity.”
Brosnan does not appear to have publicly commented on the situation. His publicist and legal representatives did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment last month.
The National Park Service requires visitors to walk on boardwalks and trails in Yellowstone’s thermal areas, citing the risk of injury.
“Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature,” the park’s website notes. The site also says: “Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.”
Yellowstone’s hot springs can be incredibly dangerous, with the hottest springs reaching up to 345 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Boiling waters can occasionally explode into the air like a geyser.
Many deadly accidents have taken place at Yellowstone over the years. Park officials have also repeatedly pleaded with visitors to not interact with or feed wildlife; in one particularly ridiculous incident last year, visitors reportedly put a newborn elk in their car and drove it to a local police station.
