A Florida man was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly attacked a female McDonald’s employee over a disagreement about straws, according to a video.
The video, which has gone viral, shows customer Daniel Taylor, 40, reach over the counter at the St. Petersburg, Florida, McDonald’s before he allegedly grabbed the woman by her apron and dragged her towards him.
The female employee seemed to stumble, but she eventually regained her footing and began throwing a few punches in the man’s direction.
Customers could be heard shouting, “Stop!” and “Let her go!” until another McDonald’s employee intervened and pulled the customer away from the woman.
A co-worker pulled the female employee, who was shouting in the customer’s direction, away from the situation while a man donning a McDonald’s uniform appeared to address the irate customer.
“Sir, I want her a– fired!” the customer yelled, pointing in the woman’s direction while addressing someone who appeared to be a manager.
“No, you’re going to jail!” the female employee shouted back before the man continued to yell a string of profanities in her direction.
Another McDonald’s employee then told the customer he had to leave the premises.
“Sir, get outta here,” he said.
Authorities later arrested Taylor and charged him with two counts of simple battery. Police believe the suspect was under the influence of alcohol, and committed other violent acts against his victim not shown in the video.
“The victim was kicked in the stomach by the defendant, and was complaining of pain,” police stated in an affidavit. “The defendant was being escorted out of the business by management due to him battering another employee, and causing a disturbance. The defendant kicked the victim in the stomach while she was standing near the exit door.”
A witness at the restaurant said the disagreement began over whether it was legal in the state for restaurants to provide plastic straws to their customers.
“She told him that it’s the law now that they’re not supposed to have the straws in the lobby,” witness Brenda Biandudi told the Washington Post on Wednesday. “He said there’s no such law.”
Taylor is currently in custody and awaiting trial the Pinellas County Jail, where he is being held on $1,000 bond. Authorities also ordered him to stay away from his victim and the fast food restaurant.
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