Cops: Man charged with assault for intentionally coughing on workers in Unity medical office

Paul Peirce | Thursday, April 16, 2020 1:40 p.m.

This image provided by Fanatics, shows a protective mask for medical professionals made from the fabric of a baseball uniform. Fanatics, the company that manufactures uniforms for Major League Baseball in Pennsylvania, has suspended production on jerseys and is instead using the polyester mesh fabric to make masks and gowns that help fill the dearth of protective wear at hospitals in Pennsylvania and nearby states. (Fanatics via AP)

A man accused of intentionally coughing on two medical staffers at an outpatient care center in Unity this month was charged with reckless endangerment and simple assault , state police said.

Robert M. Williams, 53, of Cherry Tree, Indiana County, was also charged with disorderly conduct, harassment and reckless endangerment in connection with the incident at 10:11 a.m. at the Excela Health facility on the 5800 block of Route 981.

Trooper Troy Faulk alleges that Williams entered the waiting area and approached the front desk, where he was greeted by a nurse wearing a protective mask in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

“(The nurse) related Williams stated, “that mask isn’t going to help you, are you sick?,” Faulk said.

“The (nurse) stated, ‘No’, and Williams then opened his mouth, extended his tongue out of his mouth and deliberately coughed on her face. After coughing on her, Williams stated, ‘I guess we’ll find out’,” Faulk wrote in court documents.

Faulk said witnesses reported Williams then went into a waiting area and began coughing “profusely.”

Another staff member in the office, wearing a protective mask, carried a mask into the waiting area and asked Williams to put it on. Faulk said witnesses reported Williams refused, saying he was not coughing.

The staff member asked Williams a second time to put on the mask and witnesses reported he coughed in the staff member’s face, Faulk said.

Troopers were called and questioned Williams in the parking lot, where he admitted “to coughing on the medical staff.”

Williams also told Faulk that he was at the office to get a physical so he could travel to Florida, where he hoped to work as an EMT.

Williams could not be reached for comment and an attorney was not listed in court documents. The complaints were mailed to Williams by Unity District Judge Michael Mahady’s office.

Williams is the second person in the county to be criminally charged this week with intentionally coughing on someone.

On Monday, a 47-year-old North Huntingdon woman allegedly coughed on a McDonald’s worker and told the person “I hope you get covid-19,” state police said.

Sharon K. Powell is charged with disorderly conduct, harassment, reckless endangerment and simple assault in connection with the incident on April 3 at the McDonald’s at the 6100 block on Route 30 in Hempfield, near Sam’s Club.

Powell maintains the incident never happened and said she intends to fight the charges.