Police: Man arrested after coupon dispute at Burger King drive-thru
SPARTANBURG, South Carolina (WSPA) – A man was arrested after he was accused of pointing and presenting a gun in the direction of a Burger King manager and employee in an argument over a coupon, according to a report from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said they were called Tuesday for a disturbance with a weapon at Burger King on Highway 221.
On their way there, they were told the suspect vehicle, an older-model Ford Explorer SUV with a busted-out back window, had been pulled over at the suspect’s home in the 100 block of Clayton Drive.
The suspect, identified as James Beavers, 29, of Roebuck, S.C., said he had gotten into an argument with the manager of Burger King at the drive-thru because they would not honor a coupon swap he wanted to do at that restaurant.
He said the manager disrespected him and told him to come back when he had money.
Beavers told the deputy he had a gun in his vehicle, but didn’t point or present it at the manager or anyone else, according to the report.
He also told the deputy he didn’t have a concealed weapons permit for the gun deputies found in the center console of the vehicle.
The manager of the store said a customer came through the drive-thru around 2:22 p.m. and was trying to use coupons at the order screen that the manager wouldn’t honor.
The manager said the customer came to the drive-thru window and started arguing.
The customer had a gun in his lap and pointed it in the manager’s direction but wasn’t raised up from his lap, according to the manager.
The manager said the customer told him he would be back and drove off.
Another employee who witnessed the incident said the gun appeared to be in the customer’s lap before he pulled up the the drive-thru.
She said the suspect continued to curse her and her manager before he was told to leave.
The gun was presented and pointed in her direction from the suspect’s lap, but never raised up, according to the employee.
Investigators said surveillance video shows the suspect at the drive-thru arguing with the manager, but doesn’t show the suspect pointing or presenting the gun from the camera angles provided.
Beavers was arrested and charged with unlawful carry of a pistol and two counts of pointing and presenting a firearm, according to the report.