Creepy Clowns Strike McDonald’s; Ronald McDonald Goes Underground

Given the ferocity with which the creepy clown craze has gripped the nation, it was probably only a matter of time before pranksters haunted a place known for its clown, a McDonald’s fast food restaurant. And that’s what happened in Hazel Park early Tuesday morning, according to media reports.

Two men are charged with disorderly conduct — Deonte J. Wiley, 22, of Clinton Township, and Aaron D. Williams, 21, of Detroit — after they allegedly tried to scare people away from a McDonald’s. Hazel Park police said they began getting reports around 4 a.m. Tuesday about a pair of men scaring customers at a Mobil gas station on West Nine Mile Road.

But what they allegedly did when they reached the McDonald’s at 50 W. Nine Mile Road was more terrifying for customers.

Wiley allegedly covered his face with the clown mask and began banging on car windows, “causing panic and alarm to multiple customers,” Hazel Park Police Lt. Brian Buchholz told The Daily Tribune.

When police caught up with the two men, they denied they were involved, Buchholz said, but police found a clown mask in their car. The men offered no explanation for the prank, but “they were drinking,” the police chief said.

According to WDIV-TV, Wiley is also charged with open intoxication in a motor vehicle.

See also

• Creepy Clown Sightings: What’s Behind the Craze?
• Creepy Clowns in Michigan Cause Terror, Chaos, Even a Last Laugh
• From Laughing to Screaming: The History of Clowns and Terror

But what of the real Ronald McDonald? CNN reported Wednesday that Ronald McDonald is going underground due to the creepy clown craze. The iconic clown will still make some appearances, but on a limited basis, according to the report.

“McDonald’s and franchisees in local markets are mindful of the current climate around clown sightings in communities and as such are being thoughtful with respect to Ronald McDonald’s participation in community events for the time being,” McDonald's spokeswoman Terri Hickey told CNN in an email.

Clown on a Bus

The clown craze is keeping Metro Detroit police busy. Also Tuesday, Detroit police were investigating a viral YouTube video that showed a clown with bushy orange hair and a red nose, wearing what appeared to be a white lab coat, as he clung to the back of a Detroit Department of Transportation bus. You can view the video here, but a word of warning: It contains explicit language.

The Detroit Department of Transportation said in a statement that video from surveillance cameras both inside and outside the bus has been forwarded to police for review. The clown could face a civil infraction, Detroit police spokeswoman Jennifer Moreno told the Detroit Free Press.

Photo by Steve Baker via Flickr Commons: Ronald McDonald won’t be making as many public appearances due to creepy clown craze.