Man arrested after coughing on food at SC Walmart, cops say. Items had to be trashed
A man captured on video coughing on Walmart merchandise was arrested in South Carolina, officials say.
Kyle Christopher Arendell, 39, is accused of coughing on food and other items that were for sale, forcing the store to “destroy” them, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said in a document released Friday.
Arendell also claimed he may have COVID-19, causing “a scene” last weekend at the Walmart in Boiling Springs, according to his arrest warrant.
A social media user believed to be Arendell didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on Friday afternoon.
Arendell was arrested after video posted on Facebook this week showed a maskless man coughing into clothing racks and near a checkout lane at the Boiling Springs store. The man is heard coughing as he pushes a cart through the store and is never seen covering his mouth, McClatchy News previously reported.
“It’s unfortunate that a person would behave this way in our store,” a Walmart spokesperson said Wednesday in an emailed statement. “We appreciate our customers who take the health and safety of others seriously.”
Arendell is charged with malicious injury to property and aggravated breach of peace, according to Spartanburg County jail records. His bond was set at $6,000, cops say.
He allegedly coughed inside the store on Sunday, the day before Walmart required shoppers to wear face coverings. To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urge people to cover their coughs and wear face masks in public.
This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 9:47 AM with the headline "Man arrested after coughing on food at SC Walmart, cops say. Items had to be trashed."
