The Summit County Sheriff’s Department handled a coronavirus cough assault case on Thursday.
Two workers were cited after an altercation at a construction work site in the Promontory area. Summit County Sheriff’s Lt. Andrew Wright says there was an ongoing dispute between the two workers because one had a head cold and the other was criticizing him for coming to work.
"It sounds like his co-worker was basically bullying him or confronting him. He claims he was being bullied about coming to work while he was ill, and it sounds like it escalated.”
According to the report, the dispute between the two lasted for days and the complaining worker wore a protective mask to work on Thursday. Wright says after several days of one person complaining of the sick worker, wore a protective mask to the job site and the report indicates the arguing had been going on for several days.
"Witnesses say he had coughed, he had intentionally coughed on the individual that was basically harassing him for being at work. After he had coughed on him, of course that angered the individual being coughed on, and he ended up assaulting him.”
Wright says deliberately coughing on someone could be considered an assault.
“If you throw bodily fluids or project bodily fluids at someone that can be considered assault as well, so I think that's why the deputy felt it was prudent to allow the County Attorney to screen the case and determine if any charges are appropriate in this case.
Wright says the supervisor who was on site dismissed both employees after the assault happened.
