COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – A Colorado Springs man is sharing his story after receiving a multi-year ban from Yellowstone National Park late last month after he and his family left the trails during the summer.

The Justice Department shared late last week that Joseph Aita, 62, was sentenced to seven days in jail, five years of probation – banned from entering Yellowstone National Park for those five years – and fined $3,000 after pleading guilty to destruction of a mineral resource.

Aita told 11 News that while he acknowledges a mistake was made when he and his family members left the path and went onto conservation land near Canary Spring in July, he said that There was no clear signage to stay off the lot in the area where they parked. .

“We took this left turn into a crowded parking lot and the only spot was right at the end of the parking lot,” Aita said. “We had to make a three-point turn to get to that parking spot, didn’t we?” So in doing so, we avoided all the signs and walks…and we were faced with a neighborhood that…was pretty and looked fun, but there were also no signs and the children were excited.

Aita said the two young children they were traveling with ran directly into that area from their vehicle instead of using the trail, adding that he and another adult only traveled into the terrain to ensure the safety of those children.

“We stayed up there a little too long, didn’t we? It was our mistake, and we recognize it,” Aita said. “It was about 20 minutes in the park, and we thought everything was fine…we didn’t think we did anything wrong because, again, there was no sign, there was no no walks, no fences, so that’s what threw us off.”

Aita said others saw her family in the protected area, but did not tell them anything directly. He said those witnesses, however, contacted park rangers, who arrested the family about 10 minutes after they left the scene.

“I guess in our minds we didn’t think it could be that bad because of the signage. If we had seen the sign or someone warning us, you would know “Hey!” ” Hey! Hey !’ », remembers Aita. “But nothing I saw gave me that immediate signal.”

Aita said her message for other people who go to the park is similar to what the judge in the case told her:

“Understand that when you go there, you know, they have signage, but it’s not just signage… in any area that you’re not sure about, I guess… you shouldn’t continue. “

Safety tips for Yellowstone Park from the National Park Service can be found here.

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