Couple faces charges for allegedly assaulting employee over North Olmsted store’s mask policy

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Two people are facing assault charges for an alleged attack on an employee over a store’s mask policy.

North Olmsted officers were called to the Half Price Books location on Great Northern Boulevard in the evening hours of Dec. 12, according to the police report.

The employee told investigators that a customer, later identified as Brad Albrecht, refused to wear a mask in violation of the book store’s policy.

Albrecht allegedly told the worker the he would not leave until his girlfriend, Shannon Francis, was done Christmas shopping for her son and that there was nothing any of the employees at the store could do about it.

According to the police report, Albrecht started shouting at the worker and Francis threw a book, striking him in the stomach when he attempted to lead the couple and a third female friend from the store.

Albrecht then allegedly pushed the worker, who suffered a cut to his arm due to his fall to the ground.

The store employee later told police that he would drive himself to the hospital for treatment to his arm wound.

A witness in the store at the time supported the account from the store worker. She also recorded video of the incident on her cell phone and turned it over to detectives.

Both Albrecht and Francis were met outside of the store by police. Albrecht claims he was protecting his girlfriend after the store employee began yelling at her over the mask dispute. He also claims he has a medical condition, which is why he did not have a facial covering on at the time, but no official documentation was ever provided.

The couple are facing misdemeanor assault charges with the Rocky River Municipal Court.

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