Two Men Arrested on Kaua‘i For Quarantine Violation

Two men were recently arrested on Kaua‘i for violating Hawai‘i’s 14-day quarantine emergency rules pertaining to COVID-19, according to the Kaua‘i Police Department.

The quarantine requires that all trans-Pacific visitors and returning residents stay in an approved accommodation for 14 days, including having food delivered, except for emergency medical purposes.

Kaua‘i police officers arrested John Shiffler, 51, of Salt Lake City, Utah at approximately 6:40 p.m. Tuesday at the Līhu‘e Airport after police say he refused to comply with the governor’s quarantine requirement. Shiffler arrived on a direct Delta flight from Los Angeles International Airport.

Kaua‘i police also arrested Andrew Denny, 40, of Wailua, at approximately 9:25 a.m. on Wednesday. According to preliminary police reports, Denny spent one month in Florida and other areas of the continental US before returning to the island on July 4. He had been reported to the KPD as not abiding by the 14-day quarantine order and had been seen by people at various locations around the island. Patrol officers located him on Wednesday morning in Līhu‘e.

Both men were taken to Wilcox Hospital for a medical evaluation and clearance before being brought to KPD’s detention center where they are both being held on $1,000 bail.

KPD has made 46 arrests to-date for violations of the 14-day quarantine emergency rules. All individuals who are arrested are subject to up to one year in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines.

“Kaua‘i continues to remain vulnerable considering its limited health care capacity, especially with the COVID pandemic sweeping across the mainland,” said Patrol Services Bureau Assistant Chief Mark Begley. “Our team of police officers, National Guard soldiers, and community partners remain vigilant in protecting Kaua‘i. But we cannot do it alone. We need everyone’s cooperation to protect our island, including those who are thinking of traveling during a pandemic.”