Cops: Cashier Was Battered Over Social Distancing Beef With Dollar Tree Customer Share

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After a Dollar Tree cashier chided him for cutting the checkout line and failing to "respect the current social distancing rules," a Florida Man began striking the female employee, according to cops who arrested the unruly customer on a felony battery charge.

Police say that Stephan Fanelli, 55, was at the discount store Friday afternoon when he got into an argument with Nyashata Chajani. An arrest affidavit states that the dispute was prompted when Fanelli “skipped the line at the cashier and placed his items in front of other customer items.”

When Chajani asked Fanelli to return to the rear of the line, he reportedly became irate. Chajani, cops say, also “requested for the defendant to respect the current social distancing rules, in which he was not practicing.”

When Chajani then attempted to move Fanelli’s items from the checkout line, Fanelli “began striking the victim.” With both arms, he pushed Chajani “in the chest, both arms, and hands.”

An officer noted that a review of surveillance video showed Fanelli “strike the victim in the arm.” Additionally, a witness told police that she saw Fanelli push the Dollar Tree worker “multiple times.”

Seen above, Fanelli is locked up in the Pinellas County jail in lieu of $2500 bond. A judge has ordered him to have no contact with Chajani.

Fanelli’s rap sheet includes convictions for trespassing, disorderly intoxication, criminal mischief, and battery.