A man and woman were arrested in Arizona on Wednesday after intentionally coughing on employees at a Walmart, police said.
The male and female were also refusing to wear masks inside the store. Masks are mandated inside businesses in Yuma under a proclamation signed in June.
Police officers tried making contact with the pair, 38-year-old Frank Montoya and 23-year-old Victoria Parra Carranza, but both refused listen to officers and Montoya became confrontational before fleeing on foot, the Yuma Police Department said.
While officers detained Montoya, Carranza attempted to interfere with the arrest and also fought with the police.
Both were booked into the Yuma County Adult Detention Facility under multiple charges, the department said.
Anyone with information was asked to call (928) 783-4421 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.
Woman Fired
A similar incident took place last month in California, where a woman was caught on camera intentionally coughing in the face of a 1-year-old baby, according to police officials.
The adult female suspect was standing in line inside the store in front of another woman and that woman’s 1-year-old child, who was in a stroller.
“The preliminary investigation revealed the suspect was upset the female was not maintaining proper social distancing, so the suspect removed her face mask, got close to the baby’s face, and coughed 2-3 times,” the San Jose Police Department said in a statement.
The woman hasn’t been identified by name or arrested. But the Oak Grove School District said she worked for the district.
In an update this week, the district said the woman was no longer working there.
“As many know, there have been allegations that a District employee was involved in a videotaped incident in which the person appeared to have intentionally coughed on a baby at a local Yogurtland. We want to inform our community that the District employee who was alleged to have engaged in this conduct is no longer an employee of our District,” the district said in a statement.
“The Oak Grove School District’s highest priority is the safety of our students and the well-being of all of the children in the community we serve. We do not tolerate conduct from any employee that compromises any child’s safety.”
