Police 'wrapping up' Burger King assault investigation, teen victim speaks out

Joe LaFurgey
3 min read
1

WYOMING — Detectives in Wyoming are close to wrapping up an investigation into a weekend assault at a fast food restaurant that left two teenage employees injured.

The case will be turned over to the prosecutor, who will decide what, if any, charges are warranted.

More:Teens suffer lacerations, broken jaw after Labor Day weekend assault at Wyoming Burger King

The incident began with an unruly customer and spilled pop. By the time it was over, a 17-year-old worker had to get stitches for a cut to the forehead and a 15-year-old, working her first job, suffered a busted jaw and broken teeth.

“When I got up, all I heard was ringing. I was crying. I couldn’t open my jaw. As soon as I opened up, all you seen is blood coming down,” the 15-year-old, who asked not to be identified, told WOOD TV-8. “I barely remember what happened. After the surgery, it was just too much.”

Her injuries become obvious when the 15-year-old tries to smile.

“I have screws right here, right here and under here,” she said Wednesday, pointing to her still-swollen jaw. “Right here, it’s all numb. The doctor says that might never go away."

Subscribe:Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage

“I have like five teeth cracked and he knocked out one in the back,” she continued. “I’m on a full liquid diet for six weeks straight. No solid food. I can barely open my mouth.”

The fight happened Sunday, Sept. 4, at the Burger King on 28th Street near Michael Avenue SW in Wyoming. The 15-year-old said she was at the drive-thru window when a customer complained about some spillover on a cup and threw it through the window. Then he drove away.

“We thought he was gone. But he came inside. And that’s when he got all rowdy,” the 15-year-old said.

The customer, David Zambrana, allegedly started pouring pop all over the lobby and jumped behind the counter. Employees got involved. Words were exchanged. More pop was spilled. Things escalated as Zambrana turned toward the door.

Zambrana told WOOD on Monday he wasn’t the aggressor, claiming he was jumped by workers, but employees said they were trying to shove him out the door so they could lock him out.

“He talked (in the interview) about he was trying to leave. He had so many chances to leave that store. He didn’t even have to come in there in the first place,” the 15-year-old said.

Her job at Burger King was the high school sophomore’s first. She was hired in June. She said dealing with rude customers is something she and her co-workers are used to. It’s just part of the job. But no one had gotten physical before.

“It’s sad. He’s trying to claim self-defense from a bunch of minors. Are you kidding me?” she said in response to what Zambrana told WOOD. “There’s just no excuse for what he did.”

She said she hasn’t decided if she’ll return to her job.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Police 'wrapping up' Burger King assault investigation, teen victim speaks out

Advertisement

Recommended Stories

  • Plug Power (PLUG) Reports Q1 Loss, Lags Revenue Estimates

    Plug Power (PLUG) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of -34.38% and 26.18%, respectively, for the quarter ended March 2024. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?

  • Billionaire Bill Gates Has 51% of His Portfolio Invested in 2 Brilliant Stocks

    The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust outperformed the S&P 500 by a wide margin over the past three years, in part because of these two stocks.

  • Can I Use My RMDs to Transfer Money Into My Roth IRA?

    If you're taking a required minimum distribution from an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-deferred account and don't need the money to cover living expenses, where should you stash that unneeded cash? Investors now need to start taking RMDs at age 73 or, if they were born after 1960, at age 75. Depending on the balances of […] The post Can I Use My RMDs to Transfer Money Into My Roth IRA? appeared first on SmartReads by SmartAsset.

  • Ask an Advisor: Can a Nursing Home Take Our IRA? We Have a $100K IRA and a Trust to Protect Our Assets

    My wife and I are elderly. I have an individual retirement account (IRA) worth about $100,000, and we have a trust set up through our children to protect our assets. If one or both of us have to go into … Continue reading → The post Ask an Advisor: Can a Nursing Home ‘Take Our IRA?' My Wife and I Are Elderly. We Have a $100K IRA and a Trust to Protect Our Assets. appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.

  • One More Day, One More Boeing Incident - Senegal Crash Adds to Troubles

    Boeing Co (NYSE: BA) continues to face challenges as a Boeing 737-300 aircraft crashed during takeoff at Senegal’s main airport on Thursday. Air Sénégal flight HC301, operated by Transair with 78 passengers, skidded off a runway before takeoff, injuring 11 people and bringing the facility to a halt. The Blaise Diagne airport said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the accident, which occurred at around 0100 GM, reported Reuters. Boeing is already under regulatory scrutiny af

  • ‘Seriously Underwater’ Home Mortgages Tick Up Across the US

    (Bloomberg) -- Roughly one in 37 homes are now considered seriously underwater in the US and that share is much higher across a swath of southern states, according to data out Thursday.Most Read from BloombergMicrosoft’s Xbox Is Planning More Cuts After Studio ClosingsAmericans Are Racking Up ‘Phantom Debt’ That Wall Street Can’t Track‘Seriously Underwater’ Home Mortgages Tick Up Across the USArm Slides as Tepid Outlook Fuels Concerns Over AI SlowdownNationally, 2.7% of homes carried loan balanc

  • How Much Cash Can A $300,000 Annuity Generate For Me Each Month?

    Imagine having a reliable source of income you can count on throughout your retirement. That’s the promise of an annuity. These insurance products have been designed to turn your savings into a steady stream of monthly payments. They guarantee peace of mind and financial security in your golden years. Don't Miss: Are you rich? Here’s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Can you guess how many Americans successfully retire with $1,000,000 saved? The percentage may shock you. An

  • Prediction: This Incredibly Cheap Semiconductor Stock Could Become the Next Nvidia

    This Nvidia peer is benefiting from the growing adoption of AI-enabled smartphones.

  • Prospect Capital (PSEC) Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates

    Prospect Capital (PSEC) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of 15% and 5.82%, respectively, for the quarter ended March 2024. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?

  • Too many tractors: As boom times fade, farm equipment piles up

    Falling crop prices are leaving agriculture equipment sellers with an excess of unsold tractors and combines. The slower equipment sales are a knock-on effect of corn and soy prices dropping to more than three-year lows as U.S. farm income plummets and equipment makers and dealers are forced to pivot quickly after a period of booming business. Reuters interviewed ten equipment dealers, mostly in the Midwest, as well as farmers and analysts, who said low crop prices combined with persistently high interest rates are deterring farmers from purchasing machinery.