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Chilliwack woman charged with allegedly coughing on RCMP officer

Melendy Kaigle, 27, faces one count of assaulting a police officer after incident in May 2021
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Melendy Kaigle, 27, is charged with one count of assaulting a police officer from May 12, 2021 after an alleged incident of intentionally coughing on a Mountie in Chilliwack. (CrimeStoppers)

A 27-year-old prolific offender from Chilliwack is charged with one count of assaulting a police officer for allegedly coughing on Mounties last May.

Melendy Helaine Kaigle first appeared to face the charge on Jan. 7, 2022, and is next due in court on Feb. 4.

Last spring, the RCMP Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment reported two separate incidents in April and May resulting in the arrests of a Kaigle and a 28-year-old Agassiz man.

According to Court Services Online, the male has not been charged.

Neither individual showed signs of COVID-19, but because officers are under strict pandemic protocols they were required to be monitored following the incidents.

READ MORE: 2 in Fraser Valley face assault charges after coughing on RCMP officers

“Intentionally coughing, spitting, on other people is not acceptable at the best of times and is considered a criminal act under the criminal code of Canada,” Chilliwack RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mike Rail said in a May 25 press release. “The risk of contracting the COVID virus in the workplace is not limited to police but to every front line worker serving our community.”

Kaigle is well-known to police with a long list of prior convictions and cases still before the courts, all in the last five years.

Four times between 2016 and 2020 she was convicted of either driving while prohibited and/or impaired operation of motor vehicles, in Port Moody, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope and Chilliwack.

She was also charged in April 2020 with co-accused Tyler Ray Sarodney of break-and-enter, possession of stolen property under $5,000, and possession of break-in instruments. They were both convicted of the lesser included charge of being in dwelling house without lawful excuse. Kaigle received one year probation, while Sarodney got two years,

Kaigle also received 12 months probation for theft under $5,000 from Chilliwack on Oct. 30, 2020.

She has numerous other cases before the courts, including four counts of drug trafficking from Abbotsford, a K-file (domestic) of uttering threats in Coquitlam, and three charges from Langley involving allegations of impersonation, fake IDs and resisting arrest.


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