Ancient Rock Toppled Update: Two Men Involved in Incident Kicked Out of Boy Scouts; Still Face Criminal Charges

The two men who videotaped themselves toppling a 170-million-year old rock formation in Utah are facing possible criminal charges and have already been removed from their leadership positions within the Boy Scouts, the Associated Press reported.

The Utah Boy Scouts council announced on Monday that Glenn Taylor and Dave Hall will no longer be allowed to be a part of the Boy Scouts due to the incident in the Goblin Valley State Park. The news comes after last week's condemnation of the two men by the Boy Scouts of America who they said the men's actions are "not in line with the principles the organization teaches about preserving nature."

"We encourage all leaders and Scouts to review the 'Leave No Trace' principles, as we are all a part of maintaining the integrity, character and the natural beauty of the outdoors for all living things," the Boy Scouts' Utah National Parks Council said in a statement on Monday.

Hall and Taylor were criticized for not only toppling the ancient formation, but for posting the video on Facebook that showed Taylor wedging himself between the boulders as two other companions cheer him on, the AP reported.

According to the two men, they were leading a group of teenage Boy Scouts on a trip when they saw the rock formation and decided it was loose and unsafe, the AP reported.

In a statement, Hall said both men found out about their expulsions from the Boy Scouts on Monday morning, but had hoped to turn this incident into a learning experience in the future. Both men had been troop leaders for a few years, according to the AP.

"We've always supported the Boy Scouts and if that's what they feel is best, we support that decision," Hall said according to the AP. "We're extremely sorry for our mistake. We look forward to doing everything we can to make it right and move on."

According to the AP, Utah State Parks authorities are still conducting a criminal investigation and the Emery County Attorney's Office also is reviewing the incident to determine if charges should be filed.

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