A New York man was arrested in Hawaii after posting photos on Instagram taken at an Oahu beach, as authorities say he allegedly violated the state’s 14-day quarantine mandate.
According to a press release published on the Hawaii governor’s website, the man was snitched on by people who saw his social media posts. He was then arrested and is facing charges for the crime of…going outside.
“Tarique Peters of the Bronx arrived on O‘ahu on Monday and posted numerous pictures of himself on Instagram. He allegedly left his hotel room the day he arrived and traveled many places using public transportation,” the press release stated.
Oh, and it gets even worse. Apparently, Mr. Peters had the audacity to walk around town and sit out in the sun.
“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. This morning agents were able to confirm with hotel personnel that had seen Peters leave his room and the premises on numerous occasions this week,” the press release continued.
Peters was arrested, charged with violating the 14-day quarantine rule and unsworn falsification to authority, and is being held in jail on a $4,000 bail.
“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,” Hawai‘i Attorney General Clare Connors said.
Hawaii has only reported about 640 coronavirus cases and a mere 17 deaths. Even still, the state is currently mandating all out-of-state visitors self-quarantine for 14 days, without leaving their hotel room or residence. They must also fill out and sign a form acknowledging that violating the rule is a criminal offense punishable by a $5,000 fine and up to a year in prison.