Man hacked at coughing assault charge

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Sept. 28 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man was charged with assault on a government official, who contends the man intentionally coughed on him.

Morrisville, N.C., police officer Chris Gill alleges Kent Kauffman assaulted him after being ticketed for driving without wearing a seatbelt, a misdemeanor, the News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. reported. Kauffman, the arrest report indicated, looked into Gill's eyes before "hacking" in his face, a Morrisville police spokeswoman said.

"He says I coughed in his face," Kauffman said. "But that would only work if he had a 4-foot-long face."

Kauffman said he developed a cough after his dog died of kidney failure recently.