The owner of a Goshen petting zoo and exotic animal farm has been acquitted of charges that he held visitors captive for failing to pay a $5 entry fee.
James Mazzarelli was accused of berating three women after blocking their cars from leaving the Action Wildlife Foundation farm and resisting a state trooper who tried to arrest him in 2005.
The not guilty verdict on each of the five charges was announced by the Superior Court jury’s foreman last Wednesday after about two hours of deliberations.
State police arrested Mazzarelli in July 2005, charging him with three counts of unlawful restraint, breach of peace and interfering with a police officer.
The women admitted during testimony that they did not pay the fee to get inside Mazzarelli’s farm. They said they were uncertain of the hours and tried to find an employee to ask.
They claimed Mazzarelli locked the gate behind them, cursing at them as he demanded his admission fee. The women told the jury they were scared and remained inside their vehicles until a trooper showed up after they called for help.
Last spring, Mazzarelli turned down a special probation program for first time offenders. Had Mazzarelli accepted accelerated rehabilitation, he would have been required to complete anger management classes but would have avoided a record of conviction. (AP)
