Taco Bell employee assaults customer with martial arts kicks, police say

By Pat Reavy

Nov 2nd, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY — Police arrested a fast-food employee after he allegedly took an unruly customer outside and then assaulted him using martial arts-style kicks.

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.

The customer was rushed into surgery at a local hospital due to the bleeding. He was also treated for severe bruising to his face, police said. After the incident, Massie went home, where officers later booked him into jail for investigation of aggravated assault.

Massie reported that he is a second-degree green belt in Muay Thai-style fighting.

It was not immediately known Wednesday whether the customer who was upset with his order and allegedly shoved an employee would face charges.