Kyler Thomas Berdahl, 22, Minot, is accused of deliberately coughing directly in the faces of two Minot police officers after saying he had COVID-19 after the officers had placed him under arrest Thursday night. Berdahl had allegedly refused to stop walking when he was ordered to do so.

Berdahl is charged in district court in Minot with Class C felony contact by bodily fluids and in Minot Municipal Court with Class B misdemeanor disobedience of a movement control order.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed with the court by Officer Thomas Lynn, police were called at 11:07 p.m. Thursday after they received a report that two men were walking along the riverbank in southeast Minot carrying flashlights. The caller believed their behavior was suspicious. The officers responded and spotted Berdahl on a skateboard heading north on 27th Street SE. The officers ordered Berdahl to stop walking and Berdahl shouted back at them and refused to stop walking. The officers grabbed Berdahl’s skateboard, tripped him and pushed him to the ground and handcuffed him. At that point, Berdahl allegedly turned his head and coughed in the faces of both officers.

Berdahl was also arrested on two outstanding warrants in other cases.

He was scheduled to make an initial appearance on the charges on Friday.