Joshua Tree National Park in California is home to one of America’s most unique landscapes, with nearly 800 species of plants. FOX weather correspondent Robert Ray takes you on a tour of the park in the Mojave Desert.
Three park visitors from Germany received federal warnings for vandalism, damage or destruction of property in Joshua Tree National Park, park officials said.
On August 4, tourists fired paintballs at toilets, garbage containers and at least eleven signs throughout the park, leaving yellow paintball splatters behind.
Each individual now faces a maximum penalty of $5,000 in fines and/or a prison sentence of up to six months, the National Park Service said.
A sign smeared with yellow paintball paint in Joshua Tree National Park.
(National Park Service / FOX Weather)
The group was caught when a park ranger noticed fresh yellow paintball splatters on buildings and signs at Joshua Tree’s Jumbo Rocks Campground.
NPS said police officers responded to further investigate the matter.
Eventually, authorities found a slingshot in a clearly visible vehicle.
CRUISE THROUGH AMERICA: JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
After this discovery, the three visitors confessed to firing the paintballs. Park officials said they had used a paintball marker, also known as a compressed paintball gun, along with slingshots the night before.
Joshua trees at Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Park.
(NPS/Brad Sutton/FOX Weather)
Park rangers found these items along with paintballs and other similar equipment in the vehicle and used them as evidence.
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According to NPS, park maintenance staff is currently in the process of removing paintball markings in the park.
