A 40-year-old from Idaho was arrested on alcohol and wildlife-related charges after he allegedly kicked a bison at Yellowstone National Park and sustained minor injuries.
Clarence Yoder of Idaho Falls was arrested by park rangers, who transported him to a nearby medical facility before dropping him at a county detention centre.
On top of facing off with a bison, Yoder is accused of being drunk to “a degree that may endanger oneself,” which may help explain his alleged decisions.
Authorities were notified of the bison brouhaha after a parkgoer reported seeing an individual “who harassed a herd of bison and kicked a bison in the leg” near Yellowstone’s west entrance, park officials wrote in a press release.
Unsurprisingly, the bison injured Yoder in the encounter, but authorities say they’re not serious in nature.
Park rangers eventually located Yoder’s vehicle in the town of West Yellowstone and took him and the driver of the car into custody. The vehicle was driven by McKenna Bass, 37, also of Idaho Falls. She too was arrested on alcohol and wildlife charges.
Yoder was “medically evaluated, treated and released from medical care” before being transported to the Gallatin County Detention Center.
He was charged with one count each of disorderly conduct, approaching wildlife, disturbing wildlife and being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that may endanger oneself. Bass was charged with one count each of driving under the influence, failing to yield to siren activation and disturbing wildlife.
Both appeared in court on April 22 and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Each charge comes with a maximum fine of US$5,000 and six months in jail.
The National Park Service mandates that visitors stay at least 23 metres (25 yards) away from large animals like bison.
Bison are the largest mammals in North America, can reach speeds of up to 55 km/h when charging and are able to jump several feet. These massive animals have injured more people in Yellowstone National Park than any other animals. About 2,300 to 5,500 bison live in the park.
The last encounter with a bison that resulted in an injury at Yellowstone occurred in 2023 when a bison charged at a woman, sending her flying into the air. She sustained numerous serious injuries but ended up getting engaged at the hospital. Her boyfriend had been planning to propose when their Yellowstone trip was cut short.
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