Maskless woman who refused to leave store arrested after tussle, Ohio police say

An Ohio woman is facing several charges after police say she refused to put on a face mask in a grocery store — and then wouldn’t leave.

Police responded to a Marc’s grocery store in Brook Park on Jan. 18 after they say Karen Turner, 55, refused to put on a face mask at the request of employees, WJW reported.

Employees then asked Turner to leave the store but she refused, according to the outlet.

Body-camera footage recently obtained by WOIO shows police arriving at the store and approaching Turner who’s standing in a checkout line, cellphone in hand.

She asks the officer to name the “federal law that prevents (her) from wearing a face mask” to which the officer replies that there’s a state order in effect and that the store has a right to ask her to leave, the video shows.

A state mandate went into effect in July requiring people in Ohio to wear face masks inside public buildings.

The conversation continued and police eventually asked Turner for her I.D., but she refused to hand it over, Cleveland.com reported.

Police were able to grab hold of Turner and escorted her from the store, the video obtained by WOIO shows. As officers take her from the building to a police vehicle, Turner says she “can’t wait to sue” officers, adding that she hadn’t committed any crimes before repeatedly demanding her cellphone.

Police tried to handcuff the woman, but she pulled away and scratched the hands and arms of one officer, according to Cleveland.com.

Turner is charged with resisting arrest, criminal trespass and failure to disclose information, according to court documents.

She was released on $5,000 bond and is due back in court on Feb. 8, WOIO reported.

Brook Park is just southwest of Cleveland.