Rhonda Comeau says she was trying to protect the servers at Empire Coffee in Nelson害羞草研究所檚 Adventure Hotel when she confronted a man shouting about mask-wearing on Nov. 20.

She said the man, since identified by police as Jeremy Undershute, was wearing a mask but loudly and profanely yelling about the requirement to wear one, calling the servers and customers 害羞草研究所渟heep.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hese girls are young,害羞草研究所� Comeau said. 害羞草研究所淭hey have never been put in a situation like this before. They were scared. And he thought that was OK. And when he tried it with me, it was like, yeah, you害羞草研究所檙e not dealing with a 16 year old now.害羞草研究所�

Comeau, who is the financial controller for the hotel, told him they wouldn害羞草研究所檛 serve him because he was bullying the staff. She told Undershute to leave and he refused.

害羞草研究所淚 said, 害羞草研究所榃ell, you害羞草研究所檙e either leaving on your own, or you害羞草研究所檙e leaving by police escort, I really don害羞草研究所檛 care which.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Undershute then allegedly spat on her before leaving. Comeau followed him until the police apprehended him two blocks away.

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Staff Sgt. Brian Weber of the Nelson City Police says the police have asked the Crown for an assault charge as well as a charge of abusive and belligerent behaviour under the COVID-19 Related Measures Act, but the Crown has not yet approved these charges.

Undershute is already scheduled for a Jan. 19 court appearance for charges of assault, resisting arrest, and causing a disturbance following a similar incident in a different location in downtown Nelson in August.

After the incident at Empire Coffee, Comeau害羞草研究所檚 first concern was to clean herself up.

害羞草研究所淲hen I got into the bathroom, that害羞草研究所檚 when it kind of hit me what happened,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎nd that害羞草研究所檚 when I started getting really ticked off. I was looking forward to see my grandkids, and this guy just spit on me. I didn害羞草研究所檛 know if he害羞草研究所檚 got something. This could ruin Christmas.害羞草研究所�

Then she walked two blocks on an errand and on her way back had to stop and rest because of chest pain and shortness of breath.

害羞草研究所淚 slowly made my way back to the hotel. I got to the back parking lot and the pain started getting worse. I sat down on the bench. And I thought, you know, this isn害羞草研究所檛 a good place to be outside by myself. Something害羞草研究所檚 wrong. I walked into [hotel manager Rob Little害羞草研究所檚] office and he was on his phone. And I just said, 害羞草研究所楻ob, call 911.害羞草研究所� I knew I was having a heart attack.害羞草研究所�

She remembers having a heart attack at the hotel 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 a pain you never forget害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� but after entering the ambulance her memory is spotty. She remembers little about the trip to Kelowna, then nothing until four days later when she was taken out of an induced coma. She came home to Salmo four days after that, on Nov. 28.

Piecing the day害羞草研究所檚 events together later, Comeau says after the initial heart attack she had three cardiac arrests the same day.

It has not been proven in court that the incident directly caused Comeau害羞草研究所檚 heart attacks.

But she said several of her doctors told her they thought it did, and she said one of them wrote a letter to the police stating this opinion.

Independently of the medical opinion, Comeau is convinced the two are connected.

害羞草研究所淚 know my temperament,害羞草研究所� she said.

She put on a calm demeanor in the midst of the incident because she didn害羞草研究所檛 want to panic in front of the servers, and she resisted telling Undershute what she thought of him.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 a professional. I害羞草研究所檓 a manager. But inside, I wasn害羞草研究所檛 calm. I was raging. I could feel all of that raging inside of me when I was talking to him, I had it raging inside me when I had to go into my office with his spit all over me and watch the surveillance footage.害羞草研究所�

Since arriving home she害羞草研究所檚 been dealing with confusion, limited mobility and pain, and she was taken to Kootenay Boundary Hospital again on Dec. 10 and on Dec. 23 with complications. Her husband has had to stay home and look after her. As of Dec. 28, Comeau said she felt about 60-to-70 per cent recovered.

She has worked for the Adventure Hotel for 12 years, working her way up through various jobs, and she calls the hotel staff her work family. She害羞草研究所檚 grateful for the company害羞草研究所檚 response to her situation.

害羞草研究所淩ob told me, 害羞草研究所業 don害羞草研究所檛 care what you need. You phone me, you text me. I don害羞草研究所檛 care what it is, you害羞草研究所檙e going to have it.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

bill.metcalfe@nelsonstar.com
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