ABANDONED DISNEY ISLAND, AND
POSTED THE VIDEO TO HIS YOUTUBE
CHANNEL.
HE SPOKE EARLIER TONIGHT WITH
WESH 2’S KELSI THORUD
KELSI: RICHARD MCGUIRE IS THE
MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED BACK IN
APRIL FOR TRESPASSING ON DISNEY
WORLD’S DISCOVERY ISLAND.
HIS ARREST MADE BIG NEWS BECAUSE
THE ISLAND HAS BEEN CLOSED TO
VISITORS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
ON MONDAY I SPOKE WITH MCGUIRE
VIA ZOOM FROM HIS HOME IN
ALABAMA.
HE TOLD ME HE WANTED TO SHARE
HIS SIDE OF THE STORY.
>> EVER SINCE I WAS A KID, I
WANTED TO GET ON THAT ISLAND.
KELSI: MCGUIRE FASHIONS HIMSELF
A KIND OF WILDLIFE ADVENTURER.
HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL, CALLED
SOUTHERN PIRATES OUTDOORS, IS
FILLED WITH VIDEOS OF HIM
EXPLORING SWAMPS AND CATCHING
BIG TURTLES AND ALLIGATORS.
MCGUIRE TOLD ME HE WANTED TO GO
TO DISCOVERY ISLAND TO MAKE A
VIDEO NOT ABOUT DISNEY, BUT
ABOUT THE WILDLIFE THERE.
>> THERE’S BEEN 15 POUND BASS
CAUGHT IN THAT LAKE BEFORE
TREES ON THE ISLAND WERE BROUGHT
IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
KELSI: SO BACK IN APRIL, MCGUIRE
MADE THE TRIP TO ORLANDO,
CROSSED OVER ONTO THE PRIVATE
ISLAND, AND SET UP CAMP.
>> IT’S ONE OF THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS I’VE EVER SET
FOOT ON.
KELSI: BUT THING QUICKLY
CHANGED.
MCGUIRE WAS CAUGHT ON ONE OF
DISNEY’S SECURITY CAMERAS.
THEY CALLED POLICE, AND SOON
DOZENS OF SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES HAD
SURROUNDED THE ISLAND.
>> IT FELT LIKE A SCENE FROM THE
MOVIE "FUGITIVE."
I NEVER EXPECTED IT TO BE THAT
INTENSE.
KELSI: DO YOU FEEL LIKE POLICE
AND DISNEY OVERREACTED
>> I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE AN
UNDERSTATEMENT, THAT THEY OVER
REACTE
KELSI: FOR A FULL DAY, DEPUTIES
SEARCHED THE ISLAND SOME WITH
GUNS DRAWN
MCGUIRE TOLD ME HE KNOWS POLICE
WERE JUST DOING THERE JOB, BUT
WHEN HE SAW THEIR GUNS, HE
FROZE.
>> I DIDN’T KNOW AT THAT POI
WHAT MY SAFETY WOULD BE LIKE.
KELSI: MCGUIRE SAYS HE HID AND
EVENTUALLY TRIED TO GET OFF THE
ISLAND.
BUT POLICE FOUND HIM ON HIS
BOAT.
HE WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH
TRESPASSING.
NOW 4 MONTHS LATER WITH THE
TRIAL SET FOR OCTOBER, MCGUIRE
SAYS HE DEFINITELY WOULDN’T DO
IT AGAIN.
>> YEAH I WOULDN’T RECOMMEND
ANYBODY EVER ATTEMPTING TO GO
OUT THERE AGAIN.
I’D SAY DO NOT.
GET YOU A BAIL BONDSMAN, BECAUSE
YOU’RE GOING TO GO TO JAIL.
IT’S NOT WORTH IT.
>> NOBODY IS ALLOWE
