Bison 'matador' ends up in jail

A man was arrested Aug. 2 at the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park after park rangers responded to a report of two guests arguing loudly and creating a disturbance in the hotel dining room. The man had a warrant out for his arrest after being caught on video harassing a bison in Yellowstone National Park earlier in the week.

Raymond Reinke, 55, of Pendleton, Oregon, was being sought after his bail was revoked following a string of citations in Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park over the past week.

Reinke had spent the night of July 28 in the Teton County Jail after being arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct, according to a Glacier Park press release. He was released on bond the following day and traveled to Yellowstone National Park.

There, Yellowstone National Park rangers stopped his car for a traffic violation. Rangers reported he was argumentative and appeared to be intoxicated. He was cited for a seat belt violation on July 31. It is believed that following that citation he encountered the bison.

In a video that has circulated widely on Facebook and You Tube, Reinke can be seen following the bison as it crosses the road, getting its attention and taking a menacing stance resembling that of a bullfighter. The bison charges him a couple of times before the video ends.

Yellowstone rangers received several wildlife harassment reports from concerned visitors and found Reinke later that evening, issuing a citation requiring a court appearance. During the traffic stop, Reinke told rangers he planned to travel to Glacier National Park next. Once the Yellowstone rangers connected the dots and realized the man was connected to multiple infractions, as well as the wildlife harassment case, an assistant U.S. attorney requested his bond be revoked.

On Thursday that request was granted and a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to the release. That was shortly before Glacier National Park rangers responded to the call at the Many Glacier Hotel, where one of the guests creating the disturbance was Reinke.

Following his arrest, authorities transported Reinke to Helena, where Yellowstone rangers met him and took him the rest of the way back to Yellowstone and booked him in to Yellowstone jail, pending further court appearances.

The video of Reinke harassing the bison can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiECHvdLSQk