Florida man battered female Dollar Tree employee in argument about social distancing when he skipped the line
- Stephen Fanelli, 55, struck discount store worker Nyashata Chajani on the arm
- Dispute broke out when she told him he could not skip the line or break the rules
- Florida’s social distancing rules require residents to stand six feet apart in public
A Florida man has been arrested after he battered a female Dollar Tree employee when she told him he could not skip the queue and should respect social distancing.
Stephen Fanelli, 55, struck discount store employee Nyashata Chajani on the arm and pushed her with both hands when she tried to remove his items from the counter.
Police were called to the store in Madeira Beach, Tampa. Fanelli has been charged with felony battery.
Fanelli became irate in the store after he was told he could not push in front of customers, a police report says.
One witness also said Fanelli struck the store employee ‘multiple times’.
Ms Chajani was not reported to have been injured in the dispute on Friday afternoon or to have required any medical attention.
Fanelli is being held in Pinellas County jail, reports thesmokinggun, on a $2,500 bond.
Florida’s government has enacted social distancing rules, asking everyone to keep six feet or one alligator apart, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The state has reported 67 deaths due to the disease, including eight in Pinellas county.
