Taco Bell Brouhaha Results In Charges For Two In Southington: Police

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Two Southington men were charged after after a late-night brouhaha at a local Taco Bell in which one of them pulled a knife on a restaurant employee, police said.

According to the Southington Police Department Thursday morning, the suspects are Johnathan Jenkins, 21, with a last known address on Darling Street, Southington, and Clifford Schwartz, 18, of Darling Street, Southington.

Police said Jenkins was charged with second-degree breach of peace; second-degree threatening; first-degree reckless endangerment; and operating a motor vehicle without a license.

He was being held on $25,000 bond and was expected in New Britain Superior Court Thursday, police said.

Schwartz, according to police, was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle.

Schwartz was released on $10,000 bond and will appear in New Britain Superior Court Aug. 28.

Southington police said the incident happened just after 11 p.m. Wednesday night, when officers were sent to the Queen Street Taco Bell to tend to a verbal argument between staff and customers.

According to police, Jenkins was operating a vehicle in the Taco Bell drive-through lane when he started arguing with workers there regarding an online food order.

Police said Jenkins pulled his vehicle around to the restaurant's main entrance and parked, with two Taco Bell employees coming out to discuss his order.

When the workers approached, police said, Jenkins got out of the vehicle brandishing an open pocket knife and started advancing toward the employees.

Police said the two Taco Bell workers retreated in different directions and Jenkins charged toward one of the workers "in a threatening manner with the knife in his hand."

Jenkins followed the employee around the side of the building, police said.

The SPD said Jenkins then returned to the vehicle and attempted to flee the area, but the vehicle became disabled after driving over a curb/island in the Taco Bell parking lot.

According to police, the vehicle Jenkins was driving had a flat tire and damage to the undercarriage.

Eventually, police located the vehicle at the Queen Street exit, with Jenkins driving and other passengers in the vehicle with him.

Police said there were initial reports of a Taco Bell employee having a gun, but that was proved to be false.

As part of the subsequent probe, one of the vehicle passengers, Schwartz, was found to have a brass knuckle/knife combo, prompting his arrest, according to police.

Both knives were seized by law enforcers.