MALIBU—Sheriff deputies arrested a man paddleboarding near the pier in Malibu at First Point Beach on Thursday, April 2, for allegedly violating the statewide “Safer at Home” order amid COVID-19, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department first reported.
The LASD Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department wrote on Facebook that deputies from were notified by lifeguards patrolling the Malibu Pier that an unidentified man ignored their orders to get out of the water.
According to video, the paddleboarder tried to avoid lifeguards by paddling to one side of the pier to the other side. Many of the videos have gone viral since the incident transpired.
The suspect remained in the water for least another 30 to 40 minutes until a patrol boat from Marina Del Rey was sent out by deputies. He started to swim ashore once the patrol boat arrived.
The paddleboarder was arrested for disobeying lifeguards’ orders to get out of the water, and for violating the stay-at-home order; both charges are misdemeanors. The paddleboarder’s identity has not been disclosed by officials to the public. He was booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and released with a notice to appear in court. He faces fines up to a $1,000 for the violation and could spend up to six months in jail.
The state of California’s Stay at Home order has not been widely enforced by officials. The governor’s order was set in place last week to maintain the safety of people amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Los Angeles County closed all beaches and hiking trails as part of the effort to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.
By Anita Brown and Christianne McCormick
