A Florida man was arrested Sunday after confronting a young boy for wearing a face mask.
Jason Copenhaver approached the boy at a restaurant in Pinellas county and asked him to take the face mask off, according to an article published Thursday by the Associated Press.
A Florida man allegedly grabbed a boy who refused to remove his mask at a restaurant, got into his face spittle and all, and hissed at him, “You now have coronavirus.”https://t.co/n9ffFXY28s
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) August 6, 2020
When the boy didn’t take the face mask off, the 47-year-old man grabbed the child’s hand and got in his face. Copenhaver told the boy that he had the coronavirus now, according to police reports obtained by the outlet.
Copenhaver reportedly told police he has not previously had coronavirus and does not know if he is infected, according to Fox 13. (RELATED: Man Charged After Pulling Gun On Walmart Shopper Who Asked Him To Put On A Mask)
“Victim stated that (Copenhaver) was in such close proximity that spit particles from (Copenhaver’s) mouth landed in his face,” an officer wrote in the police report, according to the Associated Press.
Workers at the restaurant claimed Copenhaver appeared to be intoxicated and the police report showed that he had been accused of attempting to hit a worker.
Copenhaver was charged with disorderly conduct and simple battery, according to Pinellas County Sheriff’s records, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Copenhaver was booked Sunday night.