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"What Were They Thinking?," Death Valley National Park Edition

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By NPT Staff - March 11th, 2017

Not a smart driver/NPS

This van drove about a half-mile off Badwater Road in Death Valley National Park on Wednesday.

With National Park Service permission, a tow company was to try to pull the van out with a track vehicle. Remember: vehicles must stay on roads in the park (but should park off the road on the adjacent road shoulders).

Tracks in the salt pan can be visible for years.

As of Friday, the driver had not been charged. However, the range of penalty options include: mandatory court appearance, up to $5,000 fine, up to 6 months in jail, and restitution charges for tow and restoring salt pan.

Comments

Submitted by Lee Dalton on March 11, 2017 - 7:42am.

Why not just leave it there as a monument to stupidity?


Submitted by Richard & Melinda Black on March 11, 2017 - 11:23am.

Lift it out by helicopter and charge the crap out of the stupid driver - hope he gets the maximum fine also $5000!


Submitted by Becky on March 11, 2017 - 11:38am.

The guy is a tital idio. He probably thinks noe rules or regulations apply to him.  I hope he gets the jail time, and has to pay all $$ incvovled with his rescue and restoration and a hefty fine.  The only that bothers a guy like this is to hit him where it hurts, IN HIS WALKET.


Submitted by Cyn on March 11, 2017 - 11:59am.

these penalties are all too little. This is intentional damage showing and  should have significant consequences. and if not fully charged you set precedent that encourages such actions. 


Submitted by Johann on March 11, 2017 - 12:21pm.

And MANUALLY replace the salt/ repair the damage!


Submitted by Steven Hobbs on March 11, 2017 - 1:14pm.

not sure what they were thinking. I'm thinking $500 fine and 20 hours community service.


Submitted by Richard Payne on March 11, 2017 - 4:30pm.

Time to really raise the fines so high if they are that stupid it will hurt, $20,000 is a start plus mandatory

jail time and mandatory community service at DV. This is getting out of hand, and signs warning about

this in several languages too. 


Submitted by Bob Hartung on March 11, 2017 - 4:59pm.

I am curious where the driver lives.


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