Breaking the rules in an American national park is most definitely not recommended. Just ask the hiker who didn’t have his dogs on a leash … and then got taken down by a stun gun-wielding ranger!
Gary Hesterberg allegedly had his pets unrestrained in violation of the rules of Rancho Corral de Tierra, part of California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
“It appears the incident began as one of several educational contacts that day about the National Parks Service rules on dog-walking,” said Howard Levitt, the recreation area’s communications director. “But this one developed into a more serious law enforcement situation when the person being contacted provided false information.”
However, witness Michelle Babcock told the San Francisco Chronicle the ranger never gave Hesterberg an explanation as to why he was being detained and then hit him with the stun gun in the back.
“He just tried to walk away,” Ms Babcock said. “She never gave him a reason. It didn’t make any sense.”
The park service allege the tasered man refused to provide the ranger with printed identification, and the ranger realised he had told her a false name when she called dispatchers to verify. According to a spokesperson while the ranger was on the telephone, ‘the man failed to heed repeated orders to remain at the scene’ and was then tasered.
Hesterberg was then arrested on suspicion of failing to obey a lawful order, having dogs off-leash and knowingly providing false information.
In the US, any park ranger is considered a peace officer just like any police officer, corrections officer or officer of any court with full law enforcement powers. They can enforce national laws as well as park regulations, depending on the location. They do not carry firearms but are allowed to carry stun guns in some areas.
According to U.S. Department of Justice statistics, National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers suffer the most number of felonious assaults, and the highest number of homicides of all federal law enforcement officers.
