If there’s a lesson here, it might be that if Taco Bell screws up your order and you decide to bring it back, don’t be an ass about it or you might find yourself getting your own ass kicked. Or maybe that although some customers are inevitably going to be rude, you’re better than that. As a representative of the company, you are duty bound to always be professional and friendly, even when the other half of the transaction doesn’t deserve it. Or perhaps, and this one has always worked for me personally, just don’t have anything to do with Taco Bell in the first damn place because even when everything goes to plan, it’s dangerous.
Just after 4 p.m., a 64-year-old man walked into Taco Bell, 621 E. 400 South, upset that his order wasn’t correct and began creating a disturbance, according to Salt Lake police.
“While getting his money back, some very strong words were exchanged,” according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.
As the customer left, employee Duane Massie, 23, “clocked out” and went outside to continue the argument, which became physical, the report states. An employee who saw what was happening ran outside to try and calm everyone down, but she was allegedly shoved by the customer. That prompted Massie to punch the man, followed by several kicks to the face and body, police said.
Massie “continued to kick and punch the victim while on the ground,” the report states. The man had a picc line in his arm that ruptured and caused an artery to bleed.
Ok, so there’s a lesson I missed. If you’ve got a picc line in your arm, you might want to lay off the pushy shovey, especially when you’ve clearly already annoyed people.
Picc line guy was rushed into surgery, and also treated for what was described as severe bruising to his face. Police haven’t decided whether he’ll face any charges for shoving the girl who seemed to only be trying to calm things down.
As for Massie, who told police that he’s a second-degree green belt in Muay Thai, he was booked for aggravated assault. For the beating he administered, not the Taco Bell he served. Thought that might need some clearing up.
