Citation issued in 'penny payment' dispute

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VERNAL, Utah, June 5 (UPI) -- A Vernal, Utah, man was charged with disorderly conduct after trying to pay a disputed $25 medical bill in pennies, police say.

Assistant Vernal Police Chief Keith Campbell alleged Jason West, 38, went to Basin Clinic in Vernal on May 27 to dispute outstanding charges, the Deseret News reported.

"After asking if they accepted cash, West dumped 2,500 pennies onto the counter and demanded that they count it," Campbell said. "The pennies were strewn about the counter and the floor."

Campbell said the clinic staff was upset at West's behavior that served "no legitimate purpose," the newspaper reported Friday.

Staff members told West they were calling the police and he left the office but authorities later caught up with him and issued him a citation for disorderly conduct, police said.

The infraction, which carries a potential fine of $140, will be heard in Vernal City Justice Court, the News said.