KONA, Hawaii (KHON2) — Five people were arrested and charged in connection to COVID emergency violations.
According to the Hawaii Police Department, patrol officers responded to Kahaluu Beach Park for a reported COVID-19 Emergency Proclamation Violation around 5 p.m.
When officers arrived, they saw about 30 people gathering within a large pavilion. They were not wearing masks and they were not social distancing.
Officials said that they began to inform the group about the most recent proclamation and gave them an opportunity to follow restrictions.
But not everyone complied and police arrested five people: 53-year-old Gene Tamashiro of Hilo, 48-year-old Stefanie Nolff of Keaau, 65-year-old Diane Ficher of Kailua-Kona, 60-year-old Melody Harris of Kailua-Kona and 53-year-old Michaele Ann Medearis of Holualoa.
Each of them were charged with three counts of the emergency proclamation and one count of failure to disperse.
Bail for each was set at $6,500. Nolff, Fischer, Harris, and Medearis posted bail.
Tamashiro remains in police custody pending his initial court appearance.
