Man Arrested For Coughing Into Grapevine Officer's Face, Said He Had Coronavirus
GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Grapevine Police arrested a man for allegedly coughing into an officer's face and claiming he had coronavirus.
Jonathan Dechoudens, 27, is charged with harassment of a public servant, a 3rd degree felony.
On Friday, April 3, at approximately 12:45 a.m., a Grapevine Police officer was sitting in his marked patrol unit in a parking lot off Northwest Highway, with his driver's side window down.
That's when police said Dechoudens ran up to his window and began to cough in his face and then saying he was infected with coronavirus.
When the officer confronted Dechoudens, he said it was a joke.
The officer, fearing exposure to the potentially life-threatening illness, called in additional units and medics to screen Dechoudens for symptoms.
Once cleared, Dechoudens was arrested and booked into jail.
He was first booked for Terroristic Threat, but after consultation with the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office, the charge was changed to Harassment of Public Servant.
The Grapevine Police officer who was coughed on continues to monitor his health daily, and remains free of symptoms. He was cleared to continue working, and is temperature-checked before beginning each shift, as are all employees who enter the Grapevine Public Safety Building.