Bend man found guilty of assaulting Yellowstone National Park employee
Kade Linville
CANYON VILLAGE, Wyo. (KTVZ) – 67-year-old Bend resident David Tyler Regnier was convicted by a federal jury on May 21st for assaulting a federal employee with a dangerous weapon.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, on September 18, 2024, two unnamed Yellowstone National Park employees were directing construction traffic near Canyon Junction north of the national park. While the two park employees were controlling the flow of traffic, one of the park workers noticed a Jeep approaching the intersection and driving the wrong way down the road. The man, identified as Regnier, was driving on the inside lane attempting to bypass the traffic.
The two park employees brought the vehicle to a stop. The first park employee told Regnier that he could not proceed and needed to back up. The second stood in the way of the Jeep with a stop sign. Regnier accelerated, driving into the employee and physically pushing him backwards. The employee jumped out of the Jeep’s path after it struck him.
Park officers responded to the incident and launched an investigation to locate Regnier. Regnier was later stopped by Yellowstone National Park Service law enforcement officers and arrested.
The incident has now been deemed as assault by the courts. Sentencing has been set for August 7, 2025. Regnier faces up to 20 years in federal prison with three years of supervised release along with paying up to a $250,000 fine with an additional $100 special assessment.