EDWARDS, Colo. — A man has been cited after deputies said he violated public health orders and purposely coughed on products a person was buying.
Nathan R. Herries, 51, of Vail was summoned for Violation of Public Health Order, Disorderly Conduct and Second Degree Tampering, according to the Eagle County Sheriff's Office.
The incident occurred at the Village Market grocery store in Edwards, according to an Eagle County Sheriff's Office news release.
Herries refused to comply with the Eagle County Public Health order and Village Market's social distancing rules of staying at least six feet away from other customers and employees, deputies said.
When an employee asked Herries to obey the rules, he began ranting that the employee was falling for the "media hype" about COVID-19, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said Herries then got between the employee and a customer and began coughing on the other customer's products.
Herries's actions were a direct violation of the Colorado State and Eagle County Public Health Orders, according to deputies.
Deputies said Herries was identified by an anonymous tipster.
COVID-19, the disease of the novel coronavirus, has claimed the lives of 422 people in Colorado. Eagle County has 485 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with seven deaths reported.
On Sunday, hundreds of people rallied at the Capitol to protest the state's stay-at-home order and to urge Governor Jared Polis to reopen businesses in Colorado.
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