MAMMOET, Wyo.– Pierce Brosnan, whose fictional film character James Bond has often been in trouble, pleaded guilty Thursday to leaving a trail in a thermal area during a visit to Yellowstone National Park in November.
Brosnan, who attended the court hearing, was fined $500 and ordered to make a $1,000 donation to Yellowstone Forever — a nonprofit organization that supports the park — by April 1, according to court records.
A second minor misdemeanor, for violating closures and usage limits, was dismissed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick.
Brosnan’s attorney, Karl Knuchel, was not immediately available for comment.
Brosnan, 70, was walking in a restricted area near Mammoth Terraces, in the northern part of Yellowstone near the Wyoming-Montana line, on Nov. 1, according to the citations. He was in the park for a personal visit and not for film work, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Wyoming said.
Mammoth Terraces is a scenic spot with mineral-covered hot springs bubbling out of a hillside. They’re just a few of the park’s hundreds of thermal features, ranging from gushing geysers to gurgling mud pots, with water at or near boiling point.
Crossing the line in such areas can be dangerous: Some of the millions of people who visit Yellowstone each year suffer serious burns if they ignore warnings not to stray from the trail.
Getting caught can also bring legal danger, with prison sentences, large fines and entry bans regularly imposed on offenders.
In addition to his four James Bond films, Brosnan starred in the 1980s TV series “Remington Steele” and is known for his leading roles in the films “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “The Thomas Crown Affair.”