[PHOTO CREDIT: iStock / Fascinadora]
[Original Publish Date: 12/27/19]
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MINNEOLA, Florida – Drama unfolded at the Donut King, 208 South Highway 27, in Minneola earlier this week as a disgruntled employee took out his frustrations on the establishment itself. Jordan Andrew Bennett, 23, was arrested for felony criminal mischief for his act of admittedly busting a hole in a wall and breaking two doors at the popular donut shop; he denied brandishing a knife.
A responding deputy made contact with Donut King owner Lance Johnson on Dec. 24 and was “advised that one of his employees became angry and belligerent during his shift last night, [started] an argument with a fellow employee, broke two of his doors, and punched a hole in the wall of the building,” according to the arrest report. The deputy interviewed a witness who stated that Bennett demanded to fight a fellow employee in the back room of the shop, but that employee refused. According to the witness, Bennett “then left Donut King, and came back approximately 10 minutes later, holding a pocket knife. The defendant began waiving the pocket knife in the air, stating ‘I’ll kill someone today, I don’t care,'” according to the report. Thereafter the defendant allegedly put down the knife “and began yanking on Mr. Johnson’s custom made door, causing it to be riped (sic) off the frame and the electronic lock to break. The defendant then punched another door, and dry wall, causing holes in both objects.” Bennett left, and police were immediately contacted.
When interviewed at his residence, Bennett reportedly told the deputy, “that he caused the damages because he got into an argument with another employee which caused him to become upset, and that it was a stupid decision. The defendant advised that he did not brandish a knife during his argument with [the fellow employee] and would not answer any more questions on the topic.”
Due, in part, to probation violations triggered by Bennett’s recent arrest, he currently remains in the Lake County Jail. Records reveal that at age 23, Bennett already has several prior local arrests.
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James Hope is a Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer who has been practicing criminal law in Tavares, Florida, since 1987. He has also been the Publisher and Executive Editor of Lake Legal News since 2009. He may be contacted at LakeLegalNews@gmail.com, or through his website at www.AttorneyJamesHope.com. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
