The arrogant US tourist who cruelly hurled a rock at a beloved Hawaiian monk seal named “Lani” was arrested by federal agents on Wednesday a week after he claimed he’d get away with the alleged animal abuse because he’s “rich.”
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was charged with harassing a protected animal for tossing a massive rock at the endangered seal as she swam along the shoreline off Front Street in Lahaina last Tuesday, according to footage of the repulsive act and the US Attorney’s Office in Honolulu.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration special agents cuffed Lytvynchuk near Seattle, prosecutors said. The destructive tourist was initially taken in for questioning on May 5, but released after requesting legal counsel.
Lytvynchuk’s arrest followed intense backlash — and even a viral street-justice beatdown — from Hawaiians seeking to protect the monk seal, which has become a symbol of Maui’s recovery following the devastating Lahaina wildfires.
“In the cellphone video, the man can be seen holding a large rock with one hand, aiming, and throwing it directly at the monk seal,” prosecutors wrote in a criminal complaint.
The coconut-sized rock narrowly missed Lani’s head, but caused her to “abruptly alter” her behavior, the complaint stated.
When a witness confronted the snobbish man, he decried that “he did not care and was ‘rich’ enough to pay any fines,” the complaint alleged.
After learning of the visitor’s disgusting, caught-on-camera act, at least one enraged local unleashed a can of whoop-ass on the alleged seal abuser, according to widely-praised video posted to social media.
The local Hawaiian seen wailing on Lytvynchuk was hailed as a hero by state Sen. Brenton Awa (R-23rd Dist.), who showed off a letter of recognition for the anonymous seal advocate during a state meeting.
“Some of us have seen environmental activists [sic], I like to call them, who took matters into his own hands to educate what might happen when you mess with our lands or the animals,” Awa said. “Our attorney over here wants to make it clear we don’t condone violence, but we did make a letter of recognition for Mr. Ambassador of Aloha.”
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in an emailed statement that the tourist’s arrest sends a clear message that cruelty toward protected wildlife won’t be tolerated.
“Lani is a reminder that humanity and the instinct to protect what is vulnerable are still values people can unite around,” Bissen wrote.
Bissen, who is a former judge and prosecutor, said in a previous video statement that the heinous attack on the endangered marine mammal struck a personal chord for many in the community.
“Let me be clear, this is not the kind of visitor we welcome on Maui,” Bissen said.
Lytvynchuk is slated to appear in US District Court in Seattle on Thursday.
With Post wires
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