A California couple allegedly scoffed at Hawai‘i’s mandatory traveler self-quarantine mandate and were arrested yesterday by special agents from the Dept. of the Attorney General.
20-year-old Borice Leouskiy and 26-year-old Yuliia Andreichenko of Citrus Heights, CA, came to Hawai‘i on their honeymoon and entered a Waikiki-area hotel after 10 p.m. on Wednesday. Both were raised in the Ukraine and Andreichenko is a Ukranian National, while Leouskiy is a U.S. citizen. A front desk manager read them the requirements of the self-quarantine order. They reportedly said this contradicted what airport screeners told them. They also indicated they planned to visit friends and go to parks and beaches and claimed airport screeners told them that was okay. The hotel manager reiterated the rules and said the couple scoffed at him again and then left the hotel.
After midnight, they returned with a pizza and told the manager they were allowed to be outside and to buy food. They checked in and refused to sign the required quarantine acknowledgement.
On Thursday morning, the hotel’s general manager was informed Leouskiy and Andreichenko had again left their room. When they came back, they were told again, they were in violation and again said their activities were permitted. AG Special Investigators were notified and arrested the couple. They are being charged under Hawai‘i Revised Statutes for unsworn falsification to authority and violation of the 14-day quarantine.
Attorney General Clare Connors noted, “We appreciate the vigilance and cooperation of the hotel staff, and staff at other hotels, in helping maintain the health and safety of visitors and residents. It is important that everyone flying into Hawai‘i at this time, abide by our mandatory rules. Law enforcement, in partnership with other state and county agencies and the travel industry are continuing to monitor compliance with the mandatory self-quarantine rule.”