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Hagerstown Man Who Was Tested For Coronavirus Charged After Coughing On Deputy

April 2nd, 2020 by WCBC Radio

WBAL reports the  Washington County Sheriff's Office reported Wednesday a Hagerstown man who was tested for the coronavirus has been arrested and charged after coughing on police in an earlier incident.

Around 4:30 p.m. March 24, a deputy assisted Meritus Medical Center staff with an aggressive patient, later identified as Michael Palani Smith, 32, of Hagerstown. 

Hospital staff asked Smith to wear a protective bandana after learning he had been tested for the coronavirus prior to arriving at the hospital, deputies said. Smith then became aggressive and combative with staff and security, yelling that he didn't care if he infected others since no one cared about him, the sheriff's office said. 

Throughout the incident, Smith pulled down his bandana and "forcefully coughed several times in the direction of the deputy and security officer," the sheriff's office said. 

Smith was moved to another room where he continued to be combative with staff and attempted to harm himself, according to officials. Staff were later able to gain control of Smith.

Officials did not report whether Smith tested positive or negative for the coronavirus. 

The deputy responding to the incident was wearing proper protective equipment, including gloves, face mask and glasses, the sheriff's office said. 

On April 1, deputies said a warrant was served on Smith for one count of threat of mass violence and two counts of first-degree assault. Smith was later charged with two counts of second-degree assault through a criminal summons, officials said.

Smith is being held at the Washington County Detention Center without bond.

2 Responses to “Hagerstown Man Who Was Tested For Coronavirus Charged After Coughing On Deputy”

  1. April 02, 2020 at 9:41 am, j.r. lepley said:

    the officer s should have kicked his ass for him !!!

    Reply

    • April 02, 2020 at 1:31 pm, Ken said:

      > Na, the other idiot who did something like this is facing a bioterrorism charge and will likely spend most of the rest of his life enjoying being incarcerated. Had the officer done anything other than following the book, that jerk might have walked.

      Reply

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