Teen’s “Joke” About Fast Food Order Leads to Arrest
LAKELAND, Fla. – For many, a messed-up fast-food order is a minor annoyance. Perhaps you shrug it off, or maybe you politely ask for a correction. But for 18-year-old Dayton Schaffer of Lakeland, a wrong $5 meal deal at McDonald’s escalated into threats and an arrest by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
According to deputies, late Monday, around 11:30 PM, a manager at a north Lakeland McDonald’s received a series of alarming phone calls.
The caller, later identified as Schaffer, expressed extreme displeasure about his incorrect order, reportedly using “colorful language” and threatening to “shoot the place up.”
READ: Repeat Lake Wales Offender “Spark-s” Trouble, Apprehended By Polk County Deputies
Detectives Walsh and Branum quickly launched an investigation that led them to Schaffer. When confronted, Schaffer admitted to making the calls, claiming his threats were merely a “joke” in response to his botched ‘McCrew’ meal.
However, Polk County law enforcement officials stated, “We didn’t get the punchline.”
Dayton Schaffer now faces charges of False Report Concerning the Use of a Firearm in a Violent Manner.
Choosing to respond with threats, even if intended as a joke, can carry serious consequences.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
