Shocking: Couple Flies To Hawaii Fully Aware They’re COVID-19 Positive
A married couple flying home to Hawaii were arrested over the weekend for traveling while knowingly infected with COVID-19. Wesley Moribe and Courtney Peterson boarded their United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Kauai with their four-year-old on November 29th after testing positive for the virus at the airport.
Travelers entering Hawaii participate in a COVID-19 testing program at the point of their departure. When both Wesley and Courtney tested positive, they were taken to a quarantine station at San Francisco International Airport and told not to board their flight. The pair ignored the warning however and somehow managed to make it onto the plane and back to Hawaii.
“They knowingly boarded a flight aware of their positive COVID-19 test results, placing the passengers of the flight in danger of death,” Kauai police said. Kauai mayor Derek Kawakami also addressed the couple’s reckless behavior in a Facebook video post.
Wesley and Courtney were arrested after landing in Hawaii and charged with second-degree reckless endangering. Both have since been released on $1,000 bail. If convicted, they face up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. The airline has also banned them from future commercial flights.
Eric has revolved in and out of passport controls for over 20 years. From his first archaeological field school in Belize to rural villages in Ethiopia and Buddhist temples in Laos, Eric has come smile to smile with all walks of life. A writer, photographer and entrepreneur, the LA native believes the power of connectivity and community is enriched through travel.
