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Verona man charged with assault in connection with altercation at Giant Eagle while not wearing a mask | TribLIVE.com
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Verona man charged with assault in connection with altercation at Giant Eagle while not wearing a mask

Michael DiVittorio
2625416_web1_Monroeville-Giant-Eagle
Michael DiVittorio | Tribune-Review
Monroeville Giant Eagle

A Verona man faces disorderly conduct and assault charges in connection with an incident at a Monroeville Giant Eagle in which he was not wearing a mask, police said.

Nick Conley, 37, said he has shopped in various stores without a mask, even after covid-19 reached pandemic proportions in March, without any problems.

That streak stopped May 1 when he went into a Giant Eagle in Monroeville and was stopped by store security.

Conley said he told workers he had a medical condition and did need to wear a mask.

He then “was unreasonable and created a verbal and physical altercation” when staff and a security guard attempted to get him to comply with state health and safety regulations, according to the criminal complaint.

“All attempts to reason with the defendant by Giant Eagle representatives met with negative results,” the complaint filed by Monroeville police reads.

Gov. Tom Wolf in mid-April mandated businesses deny entry to customers not wearing masks.

Court documents also state Conley was “screaming that this is America,” using expletives and threatening legal action if employees touched him. He posted a video of the altercation to his Facebook page.

Conley was stopped by police a short time after being escorted out of the store.

Monroeville Police Chief Doug Cole said a summons was issued to Conley on charges of defiant trespasser, simple assault and disorderly conduct.

Cole said the charges have nothing to do with Conley not wearing a mask.

“The police department was acting on good faith based on information provided by the store,” Cole said. “I sympathize with the difficulties the stores have with enforcing the governor’s orders. We’re trying to make sure we get voluntary compliance, but all our charges were separate. It had nothing to do with masks.”

Conley also posted a YouTube video in which he talks about the incident and other personal issues.

“Everybody keeps saying, ‘Don’t you know there’s signs all over the door?’” Conley said in that video. “Yes, I do. But you have to understand that I have also walked past those signs at various different Giant Eagles and all of them have let me in.”

Company spokesman Richard Roberts declined to discuss the incident specifically but offered general comments on how their supermarkets were responding to the pandemic.

“At Giant Eagle, we are committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of our Team Members and guests, while creating a safe and comfortable environment for everyone,” Roberts said in an email. “Upon learning of the governor’s recent safety order, we made the decision to require all Giant Eagle, Market District and GetGo Team Members and guests to wear masks or other face coverings when working or shopping in our Pennsylvania stores.

“We have numerous options in place to best support guests who report a medical condition and appropriately bring it to the attention of store leadership.

“This includes offering to have one of our Team Members shop for them, suggesting use of our Giant Eagle curbside pickup and delivery service, and offering courtesy masks to those able to shop while wearing one.”

Michael DiVittorio is a TribLive reporter covering general news in Western Pennsylvania, with a penchant for festivals and food. He can be reached at mdivittorio@triblive.com.

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