125163089_web1_Letter-to-the-editor1

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Interactive: COVID Case Tracker - Pennsylvania

The Luzerne County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office has filed a criminal complaint against a Jenkins Township woman, alleging she spit on an election worker in the June 2 primary election after she was instructed to wear a mask.
				A summary of the allegations county Sheriff Deputy Joseph Coddington presented in the probable cause affidavit:
				The accused, identified through her voter registration as 68-year-old Glenys R. Karpavich, entered the Pittston Area High School polling location shortly before 6 p.m. without wearing a mask and was instructed to put on a mask to be in the building to vote.
				&ldquo;The defendant then began to yell about how the pandemic is a hoax, and that COVID-19 is fake,&rdquo; it said.
				Karpavich asked the victim, Jessica Vu, a question. In response, Vu said she was sorry but unsure of what Karpavich was asking. Vu attempted to proceed with registration. The defendant started to yell at Vu and complained about &ldquo;how uneducated the younger generation is.&rdquo; Vu asked a worker at another poll registration table to sign in the woman.
				&ldquo;The defendant started to go over and vote when she then decided to walk back over to my victim and started yelling at her again,&rdquo; it said.
				Vu replied, &ldquo;We do not care what you have to say. Please vote and leave,&rdquo; and repeated that request several times.
				Karpavich allegedly walked away but decided to turn around again, pull down her mask and spit on Vu.
				&ldquo;The defendant stuck her tongue out and blew forcefully, causing her saliva to go everywhere. This is best described as giving someone &lsquo;raspberries,&rsquo;&rdquo; the affidavit said.
				Vu was fearful because spit is one of the ways the coronavirus can be spread between people, it said.
				Coddington filed the complaint with District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz in Pittston and asked that the defendant be summoned to answer to misdemeanor charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct and a summary charge of harassment.
				County Manager C. David Pedri issued a statement commending the sheriff&rsquo;s office for its investigation, saying &ldquo;this type of alleged activity cannot be tolerated.&rdquo;
				&ldquo;This young woman gave her time to the citizens of Luzerne County to perform her civic duty and work as a poll worker. Instead of receiving the respect she deserves as someone trying to serve and help, she literally got spit on. There is no excuse for this behavior in normal times, let alone now that everyone&rsquo;s concerns are raised because of the virus,&rdquo; Pedri wrote.
				County officials had said voters casting their ballots at polling places were politely asked to wear masks inside buildings in compliance with coronavirus public safety guidelines to protect others, but they stressed they would not disenfranchise anyone by denying the right to vote due to lack of a face covering.
				Karpavich could not immediately be reached for comment.

Jenkins Township woman allegedly spit on election worker in last week’s primary