Man coughed on customers in NC Walmart and claimed he had COVID-19, police say
A North Carolina man was arrested after police said he coughed on customers in a Walmart and claimed he had COVID-19.
Belmont police charged 26-year-old Robert Eugene Heffner with a public health violation.
Heffner was screened by the nursing staff at the Gaston County Jail, didn’t show any COVID-19 symptoms and didn’t have a fever, according to a police news release Saturday night.
Police arrested Heffner about 5:45 p.m. Friday after receiving calls of the man coughing on customers at the Walmart in the 700 block of Hawley Ave., according to the release. He lives in Belmont.
Officers got his description and found him in the rear parking lot.
Heffner was jailed without bail and “is being monitored,” police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Belmont police Officer Richard Lorenz at 704-825-3792.
This story was originally published March 28, 2020 at 6:51 PM.