Woman Spit At Officers, Claimed To Have COVID-19: North Haven PD

NORTH HAVEN, CT — A woman who claimed she has the coronavirus is accused of coughing and spitting at officers while she was being arrested at Target on Sunday in North Haven, according to police.

Police responded to Target, 200 Universal Dr. in North Haven, on Sept. 13 on the report of a shoplifting. Officers found a man who was trying to leave the store with stolen items, but dropped the items once he saw the police vehicle and ran back into the store, according to officials.

Police found that a woman was helping the man and that he had left the store through a rear emergency exit. The woman was found inside the store and police said there was probable cause to arrest her.

The woman, who first gave officers a fake name, was identified as Amy Kiernan and police found that she had two outstanding arrest warrants for probation violations, according to officials.

Police said Kiernan became combative while she was being placed under arrest.

“While kicking, and actively resisting, Kiernan began intentionally coughing and spitting toward officers, saying she has COVID,” police said.

Kiernan, 42, was charged with sixth-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny, interfering with an officer, assault on a public safety officer and failure to submit to fingerprints.

The man accused of shoplifting wasn’t found, but has been identified, according to police.