Man Banned From Yellowstone For Drunkenly Attacking Park Rangers

An Indiana man will not be allowed to enter Yellowstone National Park for the next five years after pleading guilty to charges that alleged he drunkenly attacked park rangers.

In addition, 31-year-old Kyle F. Campbell was sentenced in federal court to serve 60 days behind bars, and five years of unsupervised probation.

Campbell was also ordered to pay $1,550 in fines.

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“We understand that people are eager to get out this summer and enjoy our national parks; however, this type of behavior is unacceptable. Thanks to the quick actions taken by park rangers and the park vendor’s security officers, no one was seriously harmed,” Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray said in a written statement. “Stay sober, because unruly and intoxicated behavior will only earn you a spot with the jailbirds rather than enjoying the beauty and adventure of Yellowstone.”

The incident happened on June 21, according to court documents.

According to a criminal complaint, rangers received a report at roughly 5:45 p.m. on Monday that a tour guide denied four people access to their kayaks because they were intoxicated. One person, later identified as Campbell, began making threats.

Campbell and the others reportedly left in a silver minivan pulling a U-Haul trailer.

Not long after, rangers received another call regarding an ongoing incident at the Grant Helispot.

When the first park ranger arrived, they saw Campbell making threatening gestures toward a security guard.

Campbell was then placed in handcuffs, the complaint states.

"While speaking with Campbell, I could detect a strong odor of alcohol coming from him," a ranger writes in the complaint. "I asked him if he had any alcohol to drink today and he said yes. I asked how much and he said a lot."

The complaint states the security guard told rangers that he simply asked Campbell to drive more slowly in the area when Campbell flipped him off and threatened to beat him up.

According to the complaint, Campbell was placed in a ranger's patrol vehicle but he began banging his head against the window, so the ranger sat him down outside the vehicle.

At that point, the complaint states, Campbell began using racial and homophobic slurs toward the security guard and first ranger on the scene.

Eventually, the ranger and Campbell got into a struggle. The complaint states the ranger held him down until backup arrived and Campbell was placed under arrest for disorderly conduct.

When rangers searched Campbell's vehicle, they reportedly found several empty Twisted Tea bottles, two empty half-gallon jugs of whiskey and several empty marijuana containers.

According to the complaint, Campbell, now back inside a patrol vehicle, began trying to kick out the vehicle's rear window. Campbell was once again removed from the vehicle and placed in a belly band with leg restraints.

At some point, authorities decided Campbell should be taken to a hospital in Livingston, Montana to have his injuries examined.

According to the complaint, rangers secured Campbell to the ambulance gurney with soft restraints and handcuffs.

The complaint states that as Campbell was being transported to the hospital, Campbell once again became combative and he had to be sedated to "prevent him from further injuring himself or others."