Hoboken Police Officers arrested Clossvale, NY, resident Darrell Rude,33, on April 15 after he allegedly coughed on police officers allegedly exposing nine officers to the coronavirus.
According to a press release from the HPD, shortly after midnight on April 15, the HPD responded to a downtown liquor store on the report of a burglary in progress.
As officers were responding to that location, they were advised that a man shattered a glass window at the establishment, then fled from the scene. They were given a description of a man who was seen leaving the area.
While searching the area, Sergeant Luke Zeszotarski and Officers Francis McCourt saw a man fitting the description walking in the area of Second and Court streets.
The two officers stopped the man. As they approached him, they noticed multiple liquor bottles and cigarette boxes allegedly sticking out of the front pouch of his backpack before he was arrested.
While being processed, Rude began to allegedly purposely cough in the direction of officers.
During this time he advised officers that he has bronchitis and Covid-19.
Based on this, officers attempted to place masks on Rude. However, he would allegedly violently bite them off each time and bite them into pieces.
When officers attempted to talk to Rude he would allegedly cough in their direction.
Rude allegedly remained uncooperative, refusing commands to be fingerprinted or to provide necessary arrest information.
Per the National Crime Informational Center, Rude needed to have a saliva DNA swab collected, but when officers attempted the swab he allegedly destroyed the swab by biting it.
“A total of nine officers were exposed to his behavior,” states the press release.
Based on Rude’s statements regarding his health condition, he was transported to a local hospital.
Once medically cleared, he will be transported the Hudson County Correctional Facility
Rude was charged with robbery, burglary, shoplifting, criminal mischief, throwing bodily fluids, refusal to provide a biological sample, refusal to be fingerprinted, and committing an unauthorized act during a state of emergency.
Officers recovered a total of $396 worth of stolen items.
“This is the second time in six days that our night officers had to deal with a highly dangerous and unusual situation and were able to accomplish the task at hand and the apprehension without receiving serious injury.,” said Police Chief Ken Ferrante. “I am very proud of the work our men and women continue to do daily in dealing with this pandemic and the violent episodes that are occurring during it.”
Rude is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
