Woman cited for entering Sacred Falls trail; husband hospitalized
State conservation officers have cited a 67-year-old California woman for hiking on the closed Sacred Falls Trail last Sunday.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said the woman and her husband, who were visiting, from the park last Sunday after the man fell off the trail and was seriously injured. He remains hospitalized, DLNR said.
The Honolulu Fire Department airlifted both, described as in their 60s, from the trail Sunday afternoon, saying they had been injured after hiking for about 15 minutes.
DLNR said their names will not be released to protect their privacy.
Officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources interviewed the woman, who told them they were staying at a property close to Sacred Falls and had decided to follow a streambed to explore the area, which led them to the Sacred Falls Trail.
'After more than 25 years, countless news stories, and thousands of social media posts, ' said DLNR in a news release, 'some people have not heard the message that Sacred Falls State Park was closed, after a 1999 rockfall that killed eight people and injured 30 others.'
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Signs are posted at the locked gates, as well as beyond them, asking potential violators to consider the danger not only to themselves but to first responders.
DOCARE issued the woman a 'Civil Resources Violation System ' citation for a violation of closed areas under state parks rules, which carries an administrative, non-criminal penalty of $1, 000.
'It's unfortunate this man was hurt so badly, though the incident could have been avoided had the couple known about the dangers of Sacred Falls and the reason it was closed more than 25 years ago, ' said DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla in a news release. 'In addition to rock falls and eroding trails, first responders like the Honolulu Fire Department and Emergency Services put their lives at risk when they have to rescue people from the closed park.'
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