DLNR Cites 10 on Kaua‘i — 34 statewide — for COVID-19 Rules Violations

Polihale State Park in December 2014. The park is now closed due to COVID-19. Photo by Tiallah Mortell

Over the past few weeks, on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu and Big Island, officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement have cited 34 people, including 10 on Kaua‘i, for violations of State Parks rules, self-quarantine and the governor’s stay-at-home orders, associated with the COVID-19 crisis, according to a recent DLNR news release.

On Kaua‘i, DOCARE Officers have cited ten people for violating State Park closures at Kalalau, Polihale, Kōkeʻe, ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls and Wailua River State Parks. The eight individuals are: Rachel Hubbard of Kapa’a, Devon Hudson of Hanapepe, Ariel Overton of Kalāheo, Gianna Camarillo of Koloa, Kaylee Alapai of Kōloa, Glen Patrick Agunda of Kapa’a, and Edward Stephens and Allison Donnelly of Washington State.

DOCARE Officers on patrol in the area of the Wailua Falls Lookout observed Addison Bulosan of Līhuʻe and Donica Abalos of Kapa’a acting suspiciously. Both were contacted and subsequent investigation revealed both were cited for allegedly being in violation of the governor’s stay-at-home orders.

Big Island DOCARE Officers cited 28-year-old Hanna Stauffer, of Kailua-Kona, for Entering a Closed Area. Stauffer was allegedly observed by a DOCARE Officer loitering within Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area which had been closed by the DLNR Division of State Parks. Sergey Bulgutenko, 31, of Russia was cited for violating terms of the State’s self- quarantine order. Bulgutenko was observed by a DOCARE Officer operating a small dinghy in an erratic manner at Waiākea Public Fishing Area in Hilo. A subsequent investigation revealed Bulgutenko had arrived in the Port of Hilo aboard a sailing vessel and had been given the self-quarantine order by the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation-Harbors Division.

DOCARE Enforcement Chief Jason Redulla said that in addition to these violations, aimed at keeping everyone safe during this crisis, DOCARE Officers conducting law enforcement operations on O‘ahu recently at the long-closed Sacred Falls State Park cited 10 individuals.

“Not only were they violating stay-at-home orders and closed-area laws, they were putting their lives and the lives of emergency first-responders at risk. The park is closed for good reason,” Redulla said.

Eight people lost their lives and dozens of others were injured in May of 1999 when rocks fell from the near-vertical canyon walls of Sacred Falls State Park. It has been off-limits since the tragedy. Redulla said many of the citations ocurred on a day when all of O‘ahu was under a flash flood watch.

At Diamond Head State Monument on O‘ahu a dozen people have been issued citations for entering the park while closed.