Visitor accused of hurling rock at Hawaiian monk seal appears in court
SEATTLE, Wash. (HawaiiNewsNow) – A tourist from Washington accused of throwing a large rock at a Hawaiian monk seal on Maui last week made his initial court appearance Thursday.
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Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, appeared before a judge in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
A new court sketch released Thursday showed Lytvynchuk sitting with his attorney.
He has been charged with violating the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
A judge ordered his release on a personal recognizance bond pending another court appearance in Honolulu on May 27.
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He was also ordered to surrender his passport.
Video of the incident was captured by bystanders, who say they contacted authorities and tried to stop him from harming the seal, known locally as “Lani.”
The alleged crime happened May 5 in Lahaina.
Lytvynchuk was arrested Wednesday by special agents from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration near Seattle.
Greg Geist, a federal public defender, represented Lytvynchuk at Thursday’s hearing.
According to Geist, Lytvynchuk has hired an attorney in Hawaii.
If convicted, he faces up to one year in prison for each charge, along with possible fines of up to $70,000.
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