Utah files felony charge against ‘goblin topplers’
Courts » If convicted, David Hall and Glenn Taylor would face up to 5 years in prison, up to $5,000 fine.
By Jessica MillerAnd Brett Prettyman | The Salt Lake Tribune
First Published Jan 31 2014 02:44 pm • Last Updated Jan 31 2014 10:56 pm
The so-called goblin topplers — David Hall and Glenn Taylor — were charged with third-degree felonies Friday for pushing over a rock formation in Goblin Valley State Park in October.
Taylor, who is accused of physically pushing over the hoodoo, was charged Friday in Castle Dale’s 7th District Court with third-degree felony criminal mischief. Hall, accused of videotaping the incident, was charged with conspiracy criminal mischief, also a third-degree felony.
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Photos
(Tom Wharton | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Emery County and State Parks officials spent the week of Oct. 23 investigating an incident in which two Boy Scout leaders pushed over a rock formation at Goblin Valley State Park.(Tom Wharton | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Emery County and State Parks officials spent the week of Oct. 23 investigating an incident in which two Boy Scout leaders pushed over a rock formation at Goblin Valley State Park.Emery County and State Parks officials spent the week of Oct. 23 investigating an incident in which two Boy Scout leaders pushed over a rock formation at Goblin Valley State Park.(Lindsay Whitehurst | The Salt Lake Tribune)
This Goblin Valley hike isn’t the traditional, follow-the-trail trek — and that’s what makes it great fun.(Lindsay Whitehurst | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Several Boy Scout leaders sparked controversy in October, 2013, when they posted a video of themselves toppling an ancient 'Goblin' rock formation in Goblin Valley State Park.A screen grab from a video showing three men knocking over one of the formations at Goblin Valley State Park.A screen grab from a video showing men knocking over one of the formations at Goblin Valley State Park.Above, Laura Pratt and friend Ben Fox from SLC take a walking tour of Goblin Valley's rock formations. Located in southeastern Utah, Emery County is 4,452 square miles of red rock canyons, mountain meadows of sagebrush and wildflowers, desert wilderness, slot canyons and unforgiving badlands. Settled in 1877, the county is colored with ancient Native American artifacts and rock art, dinosaur bones, outlaw hideouts and abandoned Uranium mines.
Photo by Leah Hogsten 2/16/06 Emery County
View photo gallery (9 photos)
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If convicted, the men could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
According to court records, the men are accused of causing more than $1,500 but less than $5,000 in damage when they pushed over the ancient rock formation Oct. 11 — an incident they posted a video of on the Internet.
"We had to look at the value from an ‘as if we are trying to construct it’ standpoint. Clearly we can’t reconstruct it, but it was the only way we had to put some value on it," said Utah State Parks Director Fred Hayes, who stated he was not aware of the final monetary value placed on the destroyed hoodoo. "Whether that was right or not, we don’t know, but we had to come up with something."
Hayes pointed out that a bill addressing this kind of vandalism is scheduled to be discussed next week at the Utah Legislature.
Angry constituent calls started coming to Rep. Dixon Pitcher, R-Ogden, just days after Hall and Taylor posted their video. People wanted to know why the men weren’t arrested and charged, Pitcher has said. So he called park authorities and was surprised to discover there is no law specifically addressing the men’s actions.
Pitcher is now sponsoring a bill, which might make it easier to determine the value of natural features such as hoodoos.
HB68, Protection of State Park Resources, was written to prevent individuals from damaging, defacing, evacuating, altering, destroying or removing features, formations, sites or geological areas owned by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation.
The bill also would provide a method of calculating the "value of a division resource."
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The video, which has been viewed more than 4.6 million times, shows Taylor pushing over a rock formation to cheers of videographer Hall and other men in the area.
"We have a new modified Goblin Valley," Hall says into the camera as cheers are heard in the background. "A new Goblin Valley exists with this boulder down here on the bottom."
Taylor, 45, and Hall, 42, have insisted they toppled the rock formation out of concern that it would fall and hurt someone, with Hall pointing out that his uncle was killed by a falling boulder. The men, who were at the state park with the Boy Scouts of America, were later removed from their Scout leadership positions.
Neither man was available for comment Friday.
Their initial appearance in the case is scheduled for March 18.
jmiller@sltrib.com
Twitter: @jm_miller
brettp@sltrib.com
Twitter: @BrettPrettyman
