Man Arrested for Allegedly Operating Boat Under the Influence

A 30-year-old Kailua-Kona man was arrested early Thursday morning for allegedly operating a commercial diving boat under the influence of an intoxicant.

Capt. Randal Ishii of the Kona patrol division said according to an initial investigation, the man had customers in the water off the Kona coast when his inflatable vessel “Sea Wolf” drifted off.

Police were notified of the situation at 10:13 p.m. Wednesday by the Coast Guard, which had received a report from the boat’s deckhand.

Another tour company picked up the Sea Wolf’s customers and deckhand from the water.

The Sea Wolf and its captain, Spencer Erwin, were later found drifting offshore by another boat, which towed them to Honokohau Harbor.

Erwin was arrested there shortly after midnight.

He was later released without charges pending further investigation.