A New Jersey woman is facing multiple charges after she coughed on a police officer and then claimed she had coronavirus. 28-year-old Lea Piazza was pulled over by police in Hanover after she was involved in a single-car accident.
Officers determined Piazza was intoxicated and took her into custody. While at the police station, Piazza began to cough, and an officer asked her to cover her mouth.
Piazza responded to the request by coughing on the officer, telling him: "Oh, by the way, I have the coronavirus, and so do you now."
As a precaution, three of the officers who came into contact with Piazza self-quarantined until investigators contacted her boyfriend. He told them she was lying, and that neither of them has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In addition to the charges stemming from driving while drunk, Piazza was also slapped with a single count of causing a false public alarm.
To keep up to date on the latest news about the coronavirus and to understand what you need to stay safe and healthy, check out the Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
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