A New York man was arrested in Hawaii after posting pictures to Instagram while he was supposed to be in quarantine.
The 23-year-old Bronx man, Tarique Peters, was arrested by special agents from the Department of the Attorney General for violation of Hawaii’s mandatory 14-day quarantine rule and unsworn falsification to authority. Peters was booked and his bail set at $4,000.
In an effort to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus, Hawaii requires travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days. Tourists are not to leave their hotel room or residence and are required to fill out a document acknowledging that violation of the self-quarantine rule is a criminal offense punishable by a $5,000 fine and up to a year in prison.
Peters arrived in O’ahu on Monday and left his hotel room the same day, using public transportation to get around.
“Authorities became aware of his social media posts from citizens who saw posts of him – on the beach with a surfboard, sunbathing, and walking around Waikiki at night,” according to a press release posted on Hawaii’s governor’s website.
Employees of the hotel Peters was staying at were able to confirm that Peters had been seen leaving the premises numerous times since he checked in.
Hawaii’s Attorney General Clare Connors said, “We appreciate the assistance of local people who spot flagrant violations of our emergency rules on various social media sites and report them to the appropriate authorities.” Several tourists have been arrested for failing to quarantine.
A local man was arrested with Peters, and charges are pending against him.
