Four Visitors Cited for Loitering in Volcano Disaster Area

East Rift Zone Eruption Loitering Citations (June 2, 2018)

Four more people have been cited by officers from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement for being in the closed East Rift Zone Eruption area.

At around 4:45 p.m. on Monday, June 25, four men were spotted by DOCARE officers in an area north of MacKenzie State Recreation Area. All four were cited on two charges: loitering in a disaster area and simple trespass.

They are identified as: Mitchell Shroyer, 30 of Wisconsin; Christopher McWherter, 36 of California; Nicholas Allen, 27 of California; and Joshua Allen, 32 of California

At least 80 people have been cited by DOCARE officers and officers from the Hawai‘i County Police Department, since the eruption began in early May.  Penalties, if convicted, can be fines as high as $5000 and a year in jail.