Channing Cooks : “Sneezing Detention: Unjust Confinement”

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man was arrested last week for spitting on a Walmart employee during an altercation, deputies said.

Channing Cooks, a 37-year-old resident of Palm Coast, found himself behind bars after he allegedly spat on a Walmart employee in Flagler County. The incident took place on May 3 at the Walmart store on Cypress Point Parkway in Palm Coast.

Law enforcement officers from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) were called to the scene after receiving a report of battery. Upon arrival, they spoke to the Walmart employee who recounted an altercation with a customer, identified as Channing Cooks, which culminated in Cooks spitting in her face. The incident was captured on the store’s surveillance cameras.

According to the authorities, the altercation began when Cooks attempted to return merchandise without a receipt. The employee informed Cooks that a receipt was required for the return, leading to a heated argument.

Channing Cooks (Credit: Flagler County Sheriff’s Office)

The employee reported that Cooks became increasingly agitated and suddenly spat in her face, repeating the act while declaring that he had a cold. Deputies were able to track down Cooks’ vehicle at a nearby CVS on Old Kings Rd. S.

Upon being apprehended, Cooks claimed that the incident was a misunderstanding and that he had inadvertently sneezed on the employee while discussing an exchange of baby formula. However, authorities deemed his actions as intentional and charged him with battery.

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While being transported to the Flagler County jail, Cooks vehemently protested his arrest, insisting that he had merely sneezed. He later issued an apology for his outburst, but not before directing profanity and racial slurs at the deputy.

After posting a $2,500 bond, Cooks was released from custody. A check of his criminal record revealed previous arrests for domestic battery in 2018, a probation violation in the subsequent year, and a conviction for robbery with a deadly weapon in Putnam County in 2006, for which he served a 10-year prison sentence.