California Newlyweds Arrested for Quarantine Violation in Hawai‘i

A newlywed California couple who arrived in Hawaii for their honeymoon, were arrested by special agents from the Department of the Attorney General on Thursday for allegedly violating the state’s 14-day quarantine.

Twenty-year-old Borice Leouskiy and 26-year-old Yuliia Andreichenko of Citrus Heights, CA entered a Waikīkī-area hotel after 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

State officials say 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,” according to a press release issued by the state COVID-19 Joint Information Center.

After midnight, they couple reportedly returned with a pizza and told the manager they were allowed to be outside and to buy food, according to the state release.

State officials say they checked in and refused to sign the required quarantine acknowledgement.

Yesterday morning, the hotel’s general manager was informed that the couple had again left their room. When they returned, 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 said, “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.”

According to state officials, both were raised in the Ukraine and Andreichenko is a Ukranian national, while Leouskiy is a US citizen.