NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Nashville restaurant plans to press charges after a woman attending a bachelorette party behaved badly, defied health orders and coughed on an employee, the owner said.
“I never thought that would happen here in Nashville, I never thought that, let alone in our establishment,” said Mikey Corona, co-owner of the Mockingbird.
Corona said a member of the bachelorette party intentionally coughed on his assistant manager Saturday night.
“It was intentional, it was malice, it was not done in any sort of accidental way. We knew exactly what that meant,” said Corona.
He said the woman coughed three times while directing the cough with her hand toward his employee.
“That’s the equivalent of spitting on somebody or slapping somebody, let alone during the pandemic,” he said.
He said the group of 10 stomped out after not being allowed to move their tables together, a violation of the current Phase Two health orders. Additionally, some in the bachelorette party refused to wear a mask, he said.
Now, Corona said, the locally owned restaurant is down an employee at a time when the restaurant is already struggling to stay afloat amid the city’s current orders.
“She is now going to be quarantined, she’s got to get tested, she can’t be around her family. As a business, we are having to pay for her not to be here, as well, and so it’s just a struggle all around and it’s not necessary,” said Corona. “You know, we are all about fun in this town, but when you come in with your bedazzled cowboy boots and you stomp on us like we are a mat, that’s not OK. That’s where you have to draw the line because we are also human, and you should respect that first and foremost.”
Affiliate station WKRG spoke with two people in the bachelorette party who deny the allegations, saying they are consulting with a lawyer.
Metro police are investigating the case as a simple assault.