A Florida woman faces assault charges for allegedly coughing in a woman’s face on purpose inside a Pier 1 store in Jacksonville.
Video footage (seen here) appears to show the woman making an obscene gesture towards another woman before walking up to her and coughing in her direction.
Heather Sprague, the alleged victim, posted the video on Facebook, writing that the female suspect “was becoming increasingly belligerent” and threatening employees. In the video, the woman appears to realize Sprague is filming her, then remarks, “I think I’ll get real close to you and cough on you.”
Sprague said she is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. Sprague, who was also wearing a mask at the time, said she told police that she’s immunocompromised and felt unwell after the incident.
Police told First Coast News that a woman, Debra Hunter, was arrested and charged with assault. She was released on July 22 and posted bond on the same day.
Florida state law defines an assault as “an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent.” It is punishable by a misdemeanor.
Her arraignment is slated for August 19.
As of Monday, Sprague’s post has been viewed more than 4 million times on Facebook.
