Directional coughing and coronavirus-related death wishes were both a part of a recent Florida arrest.
The Florida suspect, 46-year-old Brent Smith, was arrested over the weekend by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. Per a report from an area NBC outlet, deputies had been dispatched to the residence after Smith had allegedly shoved his elderly mother "several times," as well as grabbing a butter knife and threatening to kill her.
As deputies started taking Smith into custody, he began arguing before ultimately coughing at them and threatening them. Once he was placed in the patrol car, Smith, per the department's press release, wished death and COVID-19 on the deputies.
"I hope you die," he said. "I hope you catch corona. I hope the coronavirus, I hope it latches on to you."
Smith was ultimately charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery on a person 65 or older, robbery by sudden snatching, grand theft, tampering with a witness, assault on a law enforcement officer, corruption by threat against a public official, and violation of probation on an original charge of aggravated battery on a pregnant person. He was taken to jail with no bond.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood later commented on the arrest, saying he would hold Smith "personally responsible" if any deputies were to contract the novel coronavirus following their interaction.
"If any of my deputies get sick after this, I'm going to hold this scumbag personally responsible," Chitwood said. "Can't say I'm surprised a grown man with such little respect for his mother would also show this much hatred for law enforcement. Maybe they will teach him to cover his mouth in jail."
