A 35-year-old Pahoa man was tasered and arrested after he illegally deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, Saturday night at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, according to the National Park Service. ADVERTISING A 35-year-old Pahoa man was tasered and arrested
A 35-year-old Pahoa man was tasered and arrested after he illegally deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, Saturday night at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, according to the National Park Service.
HVNP spokeswoman Jessica Ferracane on Monday identified the man as Travis Ray Sanders. She said Sanders operated a drone at about 10 p.m. Saturday at the “very crowded overlook at the Jaggar Museum.”
“Drones are prohibited in all national parks,” Ferracane said. In a written release, officials said the park is experiencing an influx of thousands of additional visitors to witness the rise of the large lava lake at Kilauea’s summit.
Ferracane said Sanders was contacted by a park ranger investigating the incident.
“This suspect refused to identify himself and fled,” she said. “And the ranger then deployed his Taser to stop the fleeing suspect and then arrested him for failure to comply with a lawful order and interfering with agency functions.”
Ferracane said Sanders, who faces a possible 5-year prison sentence and $5,000 in fines, if convicted, was released from custody Sunday morning on a signature bond.
