LIHU‘E – Kaua‘i police have arrested 14 individuals for violating Hawai‘i’s 14-day quarantine emergency rules pertaining to COVID-19 since the reopening of travel under the Safe Travels platform, which launched October 15. The quarantine requires that all travelers stay in an approved accommodation for 14 days if they do not provide appropriate, state-approved, negative COVID-19 test results from within 72 hours of their departure flight to Kaua‘i.
Among those who have been arrested for violating the COVID-19 quarantine orders are not only visitors from the mainland but also residents returning to the island either from the mainland or from another island. The majority of the individuals arrested were not at their listed quarantine addresses during routine checks and were subsequently arrested and booked.
For some of the individuals, this was not their first violation of the order.
All but one of these individuals have been released on bail and some of the mainland travelers have since returned to their state of origin.
All individuals who are arrested are subject to up to one year in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines.
“Our goal is to keep our community safe and healthy,” said Patrol Services Bureau Assistant Chief Mark Begley. “We remain very active in enforcing the quarantine law and we will continue to do so as long as it is necessary. Kaua‘i has a very vulnerable healthcare capacity with very few Intensive Care Unit beds available in our hospitals. We cannot afford an outbreak of this disease on Kaua‘i.”
The following 14 individuals have been arrested for COVID-19 quarantine violations since October 15:
• Anna Popiel of West Melbourne, Florida.
• Stanley Furtado of Kekaha.
• Karin Ho of O‘ahu.
• Bryan Lewis of Ladson, South Carolina.
• Rebecka Day of Kilauea.
• Mathew Olsen of Kapa‘a.
• Justin Hennessey of Kilaueai.
• Marion Denese Garner-Wagner of ‘O‘mao.
• Andrew Spooner of Providence, Rhode Island.
• Cristol Torres of Orlando, Florida.
• Yaunier Alvarez of Orlando, Florida.
• Raymond Rivera of Orlando, Florida.
• Vanesa Alvarez of Orlando, Florida.
• Nativida Mojica of Orlando, Florida.
Kaua‘i police, Hawai‘i National Guard, Lihu‘e Airport personnel and other County of Kaua‘i personnel continue to maintain a daily checkpoint at the Lihu‘e Airport where all travelers are reminded of the quarantine requirements for anyone who has traveled outside Kaua‘i and have not completed a pre-arrival negative COVID-19 test. Travelers from both direct mainland flights and interisland flights are screened for this purpose.
The Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD) reminds the public that there are follow-up protocols in place to monitor and confirm that all arrivals who are subject to quarantine continue to comply for the full extent of their quarantine period.
KPD has made 132 arrests to-date for violations of the quarantine law.
“We greatly appreciate everyone who continues to take this seriously and who continue to do what’s right for our island community,” said Assistant Chief Begley.
Source: The Garden Island
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