A Lower Makefield man has been accused of coughing on a grocery store cashier in Middletown Township.
James Edelstein, 75, was charged via summons this week with simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment.
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According to police, Middletown Township officers were dispatched to the Redner’s Market in the Langhorne Square Shopping Center on Lincoln Highway last Tuesday afternoon for a report of a disturbance. A store employee told an arriving officer that Edelstein removed his required face mask, coughed at an employee from about 3 feet away, and said he tested positive for COVID-19.
Police said Edelstein pulled the stunt after being upset about wanting to see a store manager. He allegedly coughed on the staff member after he was told a manager was on their way.
After coughing on the employee and declaring, “I just tested positive for COVID, hope I do not spread my germs,” the elderly man left the store, police said.
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The manager at Redner’s followed Edelstein into the parking lot and took a picture of his face and his vehicle license plate.
An officer later made contact with Edelstein and asked him about the incident. He said he was upset that a cashier did not place his packages in the cart for him and no one offered to help him to his vehicle, according to police.
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Edelstein told police that a manager who did come over was “too young to be a manager,” further adding he waited for another manager, police said.
Edelstein told police “wanted to cause a scene” to express his anger, court papers stated.
“These kids had an education about an unhappy customer. I am happy I caused a disturbance and disrupted the flow of things … everything slowed down and that made me happy,” he allegedly said.
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This is the first known criminal case of this nature in the Levittown area during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am proud of the way 99 percent of our citizens have handled themselves during this pandemic. The vast majority of us have adapted our behavior, followed the rules and treated each other with respect,” said Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub. “But whenever anyone seeks to weaponize this virus in order to terrorize another person just trying to do their job, we will prosecute him. We will protect our people serving us on the front lines by showing zero tolerance for criminal behavior like this.”
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Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
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