Boy Scout leaders caught filming themselves destroying 20 million-year-old rock formation at Utah state park could face felony charges
- Dave Hall, Glenn Taylor and Dylan Taylor posted video to Facebook showing them pushing the rock in Goblin Valley State Park
- They claim they destroyed it because the rock was loose and they worried it could crush a child along the popular path
- But state park officials have said that the men could now face felony charges: 'It is just not what you do at state parks'
A group of Boy Scout leaders could face felony charges after they filmed themselves destroying a 20-million-year-old rock formation in a Utah state park.
On the video, Dave Hall is heard commenting on how unsafe the rock in Goblin Valley State Park looks as he films his friend Glenn Taylor forcing it from its perch while Dylan Taylor stands by.
The footage, which the men posted to their Facebook pages, shows them then high-fiving, laughing and whooping with joy. The elder Taylor jokingly flexes his muscles, proud of his achievement.
But Utah State Parks officials are not taking the incident so lightly - and said that the three men could face felony charges for destroying the formation, which has been there for 20 million years.
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Caught on camera: Glenn Taylor was filmed pushing the 'loose' rock in Goblin Valley State Park
Destroyed: The massive rock, which had been in place for 20 million years, crashes to the ground beneath
Celebration: Glenn and Dylan Taylor high-five while the cameraman, Dave Hall laughs
A criminal investigation is now underway in the incident, which occurred on October 11, spokesman Eugene Swalberg told the Salt Lake Tribune.
'It is not only wrong, but there will be consequences,' he said. 'This is highly, highly inappropriate. This is not what you do at state parks. It’s disturbing and upsetting.'
Deputy Emery County Attorney Brent Langston said he was aware of the incident but that it has not yet reached his office. If it does, he will consider whether to bring charges.
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He said they could face anywhere from a class B misdemeanor (up to six months in prison) to a second-degree felony (one to 15 years in prison) depending on how much the formation is valued, the Tribune reported.
He added: 'Some things can’t be replaced, like photographs in a family album, but they have great sentimental value.'
The rock formations at Goblin Valley State Park in Utah are thousands of years old, formed by the erosion of the material around the base of the rock
Proud: The men said they were 'saving lives' because the loose rock could have fallen on a child
Showing off: Glenn Taylor, a Boy Scout leader, flexes his muscles after forcing the rock from its perch
But the men insist that they only pushed the rock to the ground because it was unstable and they were concerned about it crushing a child playing nearby.
On the video, Hall says: 'Some little kid was about ready to walk down here and die and Glenn saved his life by getting the boulder out of the way. So it’s all about saving lives here at Goblin Valley.'
Taylor said he had seen a family walk close to the rock and when he touched it, it was loose.
'I put my hand on a rock and it moved,' he said. 'While we were sitting right there we thought, "Man if this rock falls it’ll kill them".' I didn’t have to push hard.'
But when they left, he said he thought that he probably should have contacted a ranger before taking action. But the men said they had only seen one in the park that day.
Goblin Valley is more than 3,600 acres of desert with hoodoo rock formations in Utah
'Civic service': Dylan Taylor, left, watched as Glenn Taylor, right, pushed the rock down on October 11
Stunning: The rock formation at Goblin Valley State Park, pictured, was 20 million years old
Still, they apologized for their actions and said they wish they could have dealt with it differently.
'Glad we did it, wish we wouldn’t have done it,' Glenn Taylor said.
Hall added: 'We're extremely sorry for our actions. There was no in way shape or form any intent to go out there and cause any harm to our natural resources.'
Swalbery added that seeing a loose rock does not mean a person should push it over.
Glenn Taylor and Hall are leaders for the local Boy Scouts troop and that they are also Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints youth leaders.
They said authorities have not yet contacted them about the incident.
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