Viral video shows Texas Whataburger workers beat unruly customer with trash can, fry basket after alleged drunken attack
Taking out the trash.
A Texas Whataburger manager smashed an unruly customer with a trash can after the suspect allegedly berated staff, returned to the restaurant drunk and attacked the employee.
The viral beatdown erupted after Anthony William Newhuis was ordered out of the chain’s location in Paris, Texas, located 100 miles northeast of Dallas, WFAA reported.
Newhuis, 41, was ordered out of the restaurant and allegedly stormed off, but vowed to return later and assault the manager once the cops cleared out.
That was before he allegedly charged back in and unleashed a violent attack before the manager retaliated.
Shocking viral footage shows the manager ferociously swinging a trash can at the suspect as workers shout for someone to press the panic button.
The customer who filmed the brawl, Billy Jones, told Fox 4 News that another Whataburger worker cracked Newhuis on the head with a wire fry basket as the attack began, which dropped the unhinged man to the floor.
Paris police found Newhuis bleeding from the head in the restaurant’s back parking lot. He was arrested on charges of assault causing bodily injury, public intoxication and criminal mischief.
Police said Newhuis continued to cause havoc behind bars, allegedly flooding jail cells and racking up an additional criminal mischief charge under $750.
Following the ordeal, a Whataburger spokesperson told the outlet that guests’ and employees’ safety is a top priority.
“We take incidents such as this seriously and are fully cooperating with authorities,” the spokesperson said.
The incident echoes other recent cases of restaurant workers defending themselves during attacks by aggressive customers.
In December, a violent brawl between Chipotle workers and an unruly customer broke out in Connecticut after footage appeared to show a customer at the register throwing an unknown object at an employee.
When the worker retaliated by throwing something back, the combative customer allegedly moved behind the counter, shoving workers aside and pushing the employee to the floor, igniting a massive brawl inside the restaurant.
