A bizarre incident in North Little Rock has led to the arrest of a 23-year-old man, according to local sources. Arkansas police say they were called to a Subway sandwich chain after a former employee got into an altercation with sandwich artists behind the counter. The man has been charged with several violent crimes, including aggravated assault and battery in the third degree.
According to the arrest report, the man entered the store around 2:50 p.m., demanding a paycheck he said he was owed from shifts worked six months prior. The employee behind the counter said the man insisted on coming behind the counter to “get his money” before attempting to make himself a sandwich. The employee moved to stop him, and an altercation allegedly broke out.
The alleged violence lasted a matter of seconds, according to the employee and a supervisor who were both on the scene. They say the man was carrying a knife that he used to threaten both store employees, and police noted a significant cut on the supervisor’s arm, though the man refused medical attention. The former employee escaped the premises, but photos were taken of his vehicle and license plate which were forwarded to police, and he was arrested shortly thereafter.
Violent crimes like assault are treated seriously in Arkansas, but prosecutors will need to prove the man initiated the encounter and committed the crimes of which he has been accused. Police will probably attempt to recover any security footage of the alleged incident, but any such evidence must be reviewed by the man’s criminal defense representation before it can be admitted into court. His defense team will review all such evidence in advance of planning his defense, and will have ample opportunity to voice any objections in court.
Source: arkansasonline.com, “Little Rock man accused of trying to make himself a sandwich at Subway, cutting worker“, Polly Irungu, May 22, 2018