Florida man accused of spitting on Walmart employee during squabble: 'I'm being detained for sneezing!'

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

Channing Cooks, 37, of Palm Coast, was taken to the Flagler County jail on a battery charge.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) said the incident happened on May 3, shortly before 7 p.m., at the store located on Cypress Point Parkway in Palm Coast.

A deputy responded after receiving a complaint of battery. When he arrived, he spoke with the Walmart employee who said she had been involved in an altercation with a customer, later identified as Cooks, which escalated and ended with Cooks spitting in her face. The incident was caught on the store's surveillance cameras. 

Deputies said the altercation began when Cooks tried to return merchandise without a receipt. 

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

The woman told law enforcement Cooks "became highly upset" about the matter, and lunged at her. She said he spat in her face repeatedly while yelling "I have a cold!"

Deputies were able to locate Cooks' vehicle at a CVS on Old Kings Rd. S. 

Cooks told authorities that it was all a misunderstanding and that he had unintentionally sneezed on the employee while having a conversation with her about exchanging baby formula, officials said. 

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Cooks was placed under arrest for battery. While being put in the patrol vehicle, Cooks continued to tell deputies, "I literally sneezed," body camera video showed. "I'm being detained for sneezing! This is unbelievable!"

During the drive to the Flagler County jail, Cooks shouted profanity and racial slurs at the deputy, officials said. He later apologized for his behavior. 

Cooks was released on a $2,500 bond. 

A look at Cooks' criminal history revealed he was previously arrested for domestic battery in 2018, and violation of probation the following year, according to FCSO.

He also previously served 10 years in prison after being convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon in Putnam County in 2006.