Iowa City woman faces assault charges following face mask dispute

CORALVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) - An Iowa City woman has been arrested after assaulting two people at a store over wearing a face mask.

The incident happened at the Walgreens at 102 2nd Street in Coralville at around 8:30 p.m. on December 27.

In a criminal complaint, officials said 30-year-old Evelyn Chinchilla spit on two victims after they made a comment about her not wearing a mask in the store.

Officials said the three people became “entangled” and fell to the ground. Chinchilla then pulled out a handful of one of the victim’s hair and scratched their nose. She bit the other victim, breaking skin through the victim’s shirt.

The victims and a store clerk identified Chinchilla to authorities after seeing her driver’s license photo. Chinchilla reportedly also told the store clerk her name.

Chinchilla has been charged with two counts of Assault Causing Bodily Injury.

Editor’s note: a previous version of this story said the incident happened January 27, but it actually occurred on December 27.