Traffic signs continue to disappear in rural Park County, with the sheriff’s office receiving a report of more thefts last week.

In a Thursday news release, the sheriff’s office warned that those responsible for the thefts could face “very serious fines” and the potential of more severe charges.

“It may seem like a harmless prank, but the consequences of these actions can be far reaching,” said Sheriff Scott Steward. “Traffic signs are there for a reason, to help protect the drivers on the road.”

Numerous signs have been stolen from county roadways over the past year, including stop signs, road names and signs warning that there’s a curve ahead. Over the course of just one week in December, 22 traffic cones, 10 signs and two sign stands went missing — mostly in the Powell area — while others were flipped upside down or sideways. 

Beyond requiring time and money to replace and fix, “the loss of some of these signs can be a hazard and a potential threat to those driving on the roadways,” said Charla Baugher Torczon, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office.

She noted a 2017 incident in Hillsborough County, Florida, where a missing stop sign led to three teenagers driving into the path of an oncoming truck; all three youths died in the crash. Although the verdict was later thrown out on appeal and the case dismissed, a Florida jury initially convicted a group of young people of manslaughter for allegedly moving the stop sign before the fatal collision.

Baugher Torczon also noted serious crashes caused by stolen stop signs in Shiawassee County, Michigan, in 2018 and in Benton City, Washington, in 2019.

“While Wyoming law does differ from other states’ laws, the possibility of a more severe charge than theft is still conceivable,” Baugher Torczon said. “Depending on the circumstances, if someone were injured or killed due to the hazard of the signs being removed the perpetrators could potentially face other charges ...”

According to Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric, those charges could include manslaughter (which is a felony) or misdemeanor counts of negligent homicide or reckless endangering.

Anyone with information about the sign thefts is asked to call 307-754-8700. The Park County Sheriff’s Office also offers an online “Tip Line” at www.parkcountysheriff.net/tip-line/.

—By CJ Baker