On Tuesday, Nov. 9, Elmhurst Police were notified of an incident which had occurred at 148 N. York Street at approximately 6:30 p.m.
A 17- year-old employee of the business reported to police that an adult male had entered the store without wearing a face mask and when he was asked to put a mask on, used vulgar language directed at the employee and left the store.
A short time later, this individual sent a family member into the business to make a purchase. The suspect then re-entered the store and told the employee he had spit on the cash his family member provided as payment. The suspect then spit at the employee, with a small portion of the saliva striking the employee in his face. The suspect then left the store. A manager of the business and the victim contacted the Elmhurst Police later that night to report the incident.
Under employee safety at work laws, employees have the right to a safe working environment, free from harassment and the threat of Covid-19 infection. In fact, during these uncertain times, even employers are taking adequate measures to brace themselves for the pandemic. This could include taking a key man insurance for their employees (check out this site – https://www.keypersoninsurance.com for more info) or implementing adequate Covid protocols in the workplace. In recent months, employees have suffered a huge increase in attacks from customers threatening to infect them with Covid-19, just for being asked to wear a legally-required mask. Coughing or spitting with intent to infect is considered assault, and many employees who have been assaulted in this way have every right to seek compensation. This workers compensation attorney lima, for example, is well-practiced in worker compensation cases. Criminal transmission of disease, however, has, up until now, been a relatively uncommon type of assault only really seen with cases of HIV where infectious individuals have deliberately infected others with the disease.
Luckily, video surveillance was reviewed and a subsequent investigation led to the identification of the suspect, Sean P. Connell, 53, of the 19W200 block of Williamsburg Court in Oak Brook. On Thursday, Nov. 18, an arrest warrant was obtained for Connell on misdemeanor charges of Battery and Disorderly Conduct. Bond was set at $1,000 – 10% applies.
On Thursday, Nov. 18, Connell surrendered himself at the Elmhurst Police Department and posted the required cash bond. Connell was released with a court date of Monday, Dec. 20, at the DuPage County Judicial Center in Wheaton.
