Two Puna residents were arrested Thursday for trespassing into a restricted area near active lava.
Shortly before 6 p.m., police responded to a report of two persons who were in the vicinity of the flow above Pāhoa town. Upon arrival, officers observed a man and a woman facing the flow within five feet of the lava and taking pictures, according to police, who found the two were in possession of two golf clubs that had a ball of hardened lava on the end.
The pair were on County of Hawaii property beyond a fence, police said. The path of travel indicated they had crossed private property to reach the viewing location. Sixty-five-year-old Ruth Crawfort of Ainaloa and 59-year-old Stephen Koch of Nanawale were arrested for the offense of second-degree criminal trespassing.
Officers later located a pickup truck and sports-utility vehicle in the Pahoa Community Center parking lot registered to each arrested individual. Through the front windshield, officers observed household utensils dipped in lava on the dashboard.
Crawford and Koch were each charged with the offense and then released after posting $250 bail each.
Police encourage members of the public to report sighting of persons who may be trespassing near the active lava flow or in areas beyond police barricades.