Seven men have been arrested for violating the emergency rules governing Mauna Kea.
Seven men have been arrested for violating the emergency rules governing Mauna Kea.
They were all arrested after 5 p.m. Thursday on the access road, according to Hawaii Police Department documents and the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Each was charged with engaging in a prohibited activity. Some were also charged with other offenses.
Eric Ana, 35, of Kaawa; Joseph Henderson, 26, of Pahoa; Marcus S. Yoshizu, 26, of Kaneohe, Oahu; Laakeaokani Sanborn, 32, of Kona; and D’Angelo McIntyre, 29, of Honolulu were arrested on a charge of engaging in a prohibited activity.
Pueo Kaiholena McGuire Turcotte, 27, Naalehu, was arrested on charges of engaging in a prohibited activity, resisting arrest and criminal contempt of court.
Bronson Michael Kobayashi, 23, Hilo, was arrested on charges of engaging in a prohibited activity and failure to appear in court.
An additional six men were issued citations and voluntarily left the mountain, according to the DLNR.
These are the first arrests made under the emergency rule signed by Gov. David Ige that prohibits certain camping gear and prohibits being within a mile of Mauna Kea Access Road during late-night hours.
The emergency rule remains in effect for 120 days.
The arrests and citations followed more than a week of awareness efforts to ensure people knew the particulars of the emergency rule, DLNR said in a prepared statement. Efforts included the placement of signage around the Mauna Kea Visitors Center and the handing out of educational flyers which detail the specific provisions of the rule.
Additional law enforcement efforts can continue at anytime while the rule is in effect, DLNR added.
The arrests came on the same day that 20 people were arrested on Maui for attempting to slow the construction of the Haleakala Telescope.