Buster

Maskless Man Arrested After Coughing, Spitting On Best Buy's Geek Squad Counter

After being denied Geek Squad service at a Best Buy store due to his refusal to wear a mask, a Florida Man allegedly coughed and spit all over a store counter before spraying a beverage from his mouth as he departed the business, police charge.

Alton Ashby, 51, was arrested for disorderly conduct following his outburst Saturday afternoon at a Best Buy store in Vero Beach. Ashby, who lives in nearby Palm Bay, was freed from the Indian River county jail after posting $500 bond.

According to an arrest affidavit, the maskless Ashby walked up to the Geek Squad counter, where a worker asked him to put on a mask. When Ashby refused, the worker summoned her manager, who provided Ashby with a mask.

After putting the mask on, Ashby removed the face covering “and started sneezing,” the manager told police. Upon being told that he would not be provided service, Ashby, a witness said, “cough and spit all over Geek Squad counter then continued to walk around the connected department to do the same thing.”

When Ashby would not leave Best Buy, a worker dialed 911. As Ashby walked to the front of the store, he was carrying a Coca-Cola “which he sprayed everywhere as he was walking out.” A Best Buy employee told police that customers left due to the incident and that workers had to sanitize multiple areas of the store.

When questioned by police, Ashby reportedly said that he was “upset and is going through a lot this year and got carried away at the store.”

Ashby is scheduled for a January 5 arraignment on the misdemeanor charge. Seen above, Ashby is a registered Republican, according to Florida voter records.