Palm Coast man arrested for spitting on Walmart employee | NewsRadio WFLA

Palm Beach, FL – A Flagler County man is facing battery charges after an altercation with a Walmart employee on May 3rd.

According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), 37-year-old Channing Cooks of Palm Coast became upset while attempting to return a car at the Cypress Point Parkway Walmart.

The argument escalated when Cooks allegedly spat in the employee’s face.

The store surveillance recordings confirmed the employee’s statement.

FCSO deputies arrived at the scene and later located Cooks’ vehicle at a nearby CVS.

Cooks initially claimed he unintentionally sneezed on the employee while discussing baby formula.

However, body camera footage showed Cooks repeatedly insisting that he “sneezed” during his arrest.

While being transported, he also directed obscenities and racial slurs at the arresting officer, but later apologized for his behavior.

Cooks was charged with battery and released on $2,500 bail.

A background check revealed previous arrests for domestic violence (2018) and probation violations (2019).

Additionally, FCSO records show that Putnam County was convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon in 2006, which resulted in a 10-year prison sentence