WA man accused in monk seal attack has travel limits eased
Accused monk seal rock thrower pleads not guilty in Hawaii court
The man accused of throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal pleaded not guilty to charges of harassing and attempting to harass an endangered animal in a Honolulu courtroom on Wednesday.
MAUI, Hawaii - Nearly five months after he allegedly threw a rock at a monk seal in Hawaii, a Covington man has had travel restrictions previously placed on him softened, according to court documents.
In a Sept. 25 filing, attorneys for Igor Lytvynchuk, 38, filed a Stipulation and Order Modifying Conditions of Release to Continue request on Monday, allowing him to travel throughout Washington state instead of being limited to the state's western district.
Lytvynchuk is also allowed to travel to the island of Oahu, but only for court purposes. The United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office (USPPSO) must also approve the trip in advance.
Dig deeper:
In a separate filing, Lytvynchuk's attorneys asked a judge to reschedule his trial date from Nov. 16 to a more convenient date in 2027.
Lytvynchuk's attorney, Myles S. Brenner, cites an "unavoidable professional conflict" as the primary reason for the request, saying that he is required to be in San Francisco to assist with a trial involving Veterans Affairs and alleged benefits fraud.
WA man accused of throwing rock at monk seal pleads not guilty in Hawaii court
A Covington man accused of throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal pleaded not guilty in a Honolulu courtroom on Wednesday.
The backstory:
The charges stem from an incident on May 5, where witnesses recorded a man hurling a rock at a monk seal along the shoreline of Lahaina, Maui, narrowly missing.
When bystanders warned him they were calling police, Lytvynchuk reportedly said he "did not care and was ‘rich’ enough to pay any fines."
The video quickly went viral on social media and even prompted a response from Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, advocating for the prosecution and saying, "Let me be clear, this is not the kind of visitor we welcome on Maui."
The Hawaiian monk seal is protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as only 1,600 remain in the wild. The seal was playing with a log when Lytvynchuk allegedly threw a coconut-sized rock towards its head, causing the "animal to abruptly alter its behavior" and appear "largely immobile" for an extended period, according to court documents.
Lytvynchuk was arrested by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) special agents at his Covington home in May.
During a court appearance in Hawaii, a judge ruled Lytvynchuk can remain out of custody while the case proceeds, but ordered him to stay away from beaches and marine wildlife while in Hawaii.
What we don't know:
It was not stated when Lytvynchuk's next court date would be rescheduled.
What's next:
Lytvynchuk faces a maximum prison sentence of one year for each federal charge and a maximum fine of $70,000 if convicted.
The Source: Information for this story came from court documents obtained by FOX 13 Seattle and previous reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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