Pandemics are no laughing matter, as we are all finding out in these crazy times.
Certainly, for one New Jersey woman, trying to make light of the covid-19 epidemic at the expense of a police officer could prove to be a costly mistake.
Lea Piazza from the town of Wayne in the Garden state was arrested on suspicion of driving-while intoxicated. As she was being tested for sobriety, according to police reports, the 28-year old is said to have coughed on the processing officer and said: “Oh, by the way, I have the coronavirus and so do you now.”
Piazza was charged in the nearby town of Hanover with creating a false alarm, DWI, careless driving, reckless driving and refusal, police said. In total, local police said that three officers were exposed to Piazza and were self-quarantined. Authorities were later able to establish that her comments were “100 percent false.”
The incident happened on March 12 when Officer Erick Magley arrived at the scene of a one-car accident, police said. As he went to question the woman, Magley smelled alcohol on her breath and person. Piazza was then asked to perform field sobriety tests and was subsequently arrested.
During processing, Piazza purposely coughed on Magley, police said. Magley asked her to cover her mouth and refrain from coughing on him because of the concerns over the coronavirus.
That’s when Piazza delivered her extremely ill-advised remark.
Police said that they attempted to find out more information from the woman about her claims. Piazza reportedly would say only that her boyfriend has contracted the virus and that he is from New York, according to a report in the Morris Daily Voice. However, police say she declined to provide any further details and later admitted she had fabricated the part about her having coronavirus.
Piazza has now been released pending her court date.
 | HANOVER, NEW JERSEY |
|---|---|
| Location: | 18 miles west of Newark |
| Population: | 13,712 |
| Median Household Income: | 84,115 |
| Quirky Fact: | Established in 1676, Hanover Township is the site of the first settlement in northwest New Jersey. The name “Hanover” was given in 1720 as a sign of respect to George I of England who was from the House of Hanover in Germany. |