A 24-year-old Kailua-Kona man was arrested Wednesday after state Department of Land and Natural Resource officers received a report of a large gathering of people and cars at Alula Beach near Honokohau Small Boat Harbor in Kailua-Kona.
According to a DLNR statement, officers “responded to the beach and observed numerous people not engaging in permitted activity outlined in the state’s current emergency rules” put in place by Gov. David Ige because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One, Dillon Kroll, allegedly “became agitated and combative (and) cussed at the officers,” according to the statement.
Officers allege Kroll refused to follow them to their vehicles so they could prepare a citation for violating Ige’s stay-at-home order and “continued debating with them while yelling and swearing.”
Also alleged is that Kroll’s mother became involved in a dispute with another woman who objected to Kroll’s behavior, and that other beachgoers grabbed their children and left “apparently due to (Kroll’s) unruly behavior.”
According to a police log, Kroll was arrested at 2:55 p.m., booked at the Kona police station and charged with disorderly conduct, public intoxication and violating the emergency stay-at-home order.
He was released on his own recognizance at 4:21 p.m., according to the log.
Neither the log nor the state Judiciary website has a court date listed for Kroll.
“While the majority of our residents are following emergency rules, including not congregating on beaches, this arrest clearly demonstrates that there are a few who are not,” said Jason Redulla, DLNR’s enforcement chief. “They are not only possibly endangering the health of others, but their own.”