Kauai police arrest Washington man for violating travel quarantine rules

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A second visitor has been arrested on Kauai for violating the state mandated 14-day quarantine period.

Kauai police said 50-year-old Devin Martin of Olympia, Wash. was arrested Thursday.

He arrived on the Garden Isle earlier in the day on an Alaska Airlines flight. Officials say he was contacted by airport security upon his arrival and informed about the quarantine rules.

Police said he did not have reservations for proper accommodations and allegedly refused to find suitable lodging.

Police were notified of the situation and he was subsequently arrested.

Martin did not show symptoms of coronavirus, but he was brought to Wilcox Memorial Hospital for clearance prior to being taken to a jail cell.

Kauai police did not say what his intent was in flying to the island. He remains in a cellblock and is expected to return to the mainland on Friday.

At this point, it is unclear if he will be charged or fined before departing.

This is the second arrest as KPD continues their strict enforcement of the stay-at-home and travel quarantine orders.

So far, KPD reports they’ve issued 12 misdemeanor citations for individuals violating the rules, mostly pertaining to the overnight curfew set in place by Mayor Derek Kawakami.

Each of those cited could face a $5,000 fine or a year in jail.

Last week, a Florida man was also arrested for breaking quarantine rules.

KPD has set up checkpoints around the island to ensure only essential workers are out on the roads.

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