STUART, Fla. – A Florida man is facing charges that he threatened and assaulted an officer after he coughed on a deputy and said he had the coronavirus, according to authorities.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said Christian Perez, 23, was initially stopped for reckless driving when he claimed to have the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Sheriff William Snyder said such behavior would not be tolerated. “We have zero tolerance for this despicable behavior, and anyone who threatens the health and lives of my deputies will face the maximum charges,” Snyder said.
An increasing number of law enforcement agencies around the country are watching their ranks get sick as the number of coronavirus cases explodes across the U.S.