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Deputies Say They Identified Man Who Ranted About COVID-19 ‘Media Hype,’ Coughed on Store Products

 

Nathan R. Herries

Hey, remember that story about that person who allegedly coughed on products at a supermarket? No, not that one. Or that one. We meant the other one.

Deputies in Eagle County, Colorado have announced they identified, and cited Nathan R. Herries, 51, for violation of public health order, disorderly conduct, and second-degree tampering.

According to authorities, Herries was the man at the center of a gross incident at a local Village Market in the community of Edwards. He allegedly was standing too close to others to comply with social distancing guidelines. Instead of stepping back, he ranted about an employee falling for “media hype” of COVID-19. The individual then stepped between an employee and customers, and coughed on the products that the customer was purchasing, deputies said.

That kind of behavior would be deeply unhygienic in the best of times, but deputies singled him out for violating the Colorado State and Eagle County Public Health Order amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Authorities put out a notice, seeking the public’s help in identifying this person.

Coughing suspect identified by deputies as Nathan R. Herries

An anonymous tipster identified him, deputies said. Herries wasn’t arrested, just cited. He could not be reached for comment as of press time.

The story follows on a pattern of cough-related allegations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Would you believe that there are subcategories? Allegedly coughing on law enforcement: check. Alleged fights over proper manners: check. The Herries situation fits in a very particular genre: guys who went out of their way to cough (or do other gross stuff) because they didn’t take the pandemic seriously.

[Image via Eagle County Sheriff’s Office]

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