We previously discussed the case of William Hunter Hardesty, 31. Police arrested Hardesty after he was featured in a disturbing video where he jumped on a pelican and manhandled it. He has now been sentenced to a well-deserved 90 days in prison and a $1000 fine.
The video shows Hardesty leaning over to tempt the pelican with food and then jumping on the bird — driving it below the surface. When they both surface, Hardesty then manhandles the bird as others laugh in the background. The bird then snapped at Hardesty who let it go.
At the time, Hardesty exclaimed “Yea they bite hard !!!” Even after the outcry, Hardesty seemed to have no appreciation of how he was endangering the animal and acting like a toddler. Upon his return to Maryland, he wrote “The book blowin up on a Friday !! Sheesh.”
The arresting trooper said that Hardesty bragged about being wanted for feeding and tackling a pelican in the Florida keys. When the troopers confirmed an outstanding warrant in Florida, they arrested Hardesty.
Assistant state attorney Ryan Maher, called Hardesty an “internet troll” and said that he was displaying nothing more than “troll remorse.” He added “He got a rise out of that up to the point where he got in trouble.”
Judging from the moronic video, it is doubtful that Hardesty will learn much in jail but at least there is the irony of the pelican being free while Hardesty is caged.