The state Department of Land and Natural Resources on Saturday released a list of 12 people cited by officers of Division of Conservation Resources and Enforcement for loitering in areas closed by lava since Gov. David Ige issued a supplemental proclamation making such offenses punishable by up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources on Saturday released a list of 12 people cited by officers of Division of Conservation Resources and Enforcement for loitering in areas closed by lava since Gov. David Ige issued a supplemental proclamation making such offenses punishable by up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
They are:
• Fransiska Bass and Marshall Lund of Hawaiian Paradise Park, June 9, at MacKenzie State Recreation Area
• Gabrielle Jaitt and Oscar Jaitt of Pahoa, June 10, at Paakikii or Coconut Grove
• Douglas Amaya and Reina Villatoro de Garcia of California, June 10, at Lava Tree State Park
• Andrew Denton of Keaau, June 11 at Paakikii or Coconut Grove
• Daniel DeLong and Edric Money of California, June 11 at MacKenzie State Recreation Area
• Ravi Purpuri of California, Christina Sharpe and Zoe Zivalic of Waimea, June 14 at Lava Tree State Park.
The ages of the suspects cited for loitering in a closed area were not immediately available, the agency said.
DOCARE officers on patrol often have to don gas masks to protect themselves from the noxious volcanic gasses being created by lava, DLNR said. They also noted fast flowing lava can cut off escape routes putting both rescuers and loiterers at risk. With the latest round of citations, DOCARE officers have now cited almost 40 people since the East Rift Zone eruption began in early May, according to DLNR.
