Crime & Safety
Runner Guilty of Trespassing During Government Shutdown
He drove his car around a barricade and a closed sign to go for a run in Valley Forge.
A Delaware County runner has been found guilty of trespassing in Valley Forge National Historical Park during last fall's federal government shutdown.
John Bell, 54, of Chadds Ford is a marathon runner who drove his car around a barricade and a closed sign to go for a run Oct. 6, 2013, The Philadelphia Inquirer said. His car was ticketed by park rangers, who said they saw Bell that morning and he admitted that he knew the park was closed due to the shutdown.
Dozens of runners rallied in Bell's defense last fall, going on jogs through the park that they dubbed "Patriot Runs," the Inquirer said.
Bell contested the $100 ticket all the way to U.S. District Court, where on Wednesday morning he was found guilty of parking in a closed area and ordered to pay the fine, the Inquirer said.
Do you think Bell should have been fined for parking at and running through the park?
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