Woman gets 10 years for running over McDonald's manager

chron.com ^ | 11/4/03 | Metalboy

[metalboy]

Woman gets 10 years for running over McDonald's manager By ANDREW TILGHMAN Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle A McDonald's customer who flew into a violent rage when she was denied mayonnaise on her cheeseburger got 10 years in prison today for running over the restaurant's manager.

Waynetta Nolan, 37, could have received as much as 20 years in prison for hitting Sherry Allen Jenkins with her car, dragging the employee across the parking lot and breaking her pelvis at the McDonald's in southwest Houston.

Nolan showed little emotion this afternoon when the jury came back with the punishment after four hours of deliberation. Earlier this morning, however, as the jury heard testimony in the punishment phase of Nolan's trial, her 43-year-old victim tearfully said she couldn't pick up her grandchildren because of the injuries she suffered in the incident.

"I put the mayonnaise on her burger," Jenkins told jurors. "I took the onions and the mustard off. What did I do?"

Jurors took less than an hour on Wednesday to convict Nolan of aggravated assault in the courtroom of state District Judge Brock Thomsas. Nolan testified then that she thought she had rolled over "a bump" when she ran over Jenkins.

Nolan was contrite during her testimony today and apologized for running over Jenkins on April 23. She said she had been going through "a bad time" in her life when she lost it in the drive-through line.

The incident began when an 18-year-old employee working at the drive-through window near Bissonnet and Beltway 8 told Nolan mayonnaise was not an option on McDonald's cheeseburgers. When Nolan became angry, she was encouraged to pull her car around to the window counter and speak to the manager.

Witnesses said Nolan cursed and threw a cheeseburger back though the drive-through window.

When Jenkins offered a special-order cheeseburger with mayonnaise, witnesses said, Nolan complained her french fries had grown cold. After receiving new fries, she then demanded a new drink.

Unable to pacify the belligerent customer, Jenkins finally called police, who asked her to get the customer's license plate number. Jenkins walked out to the drive-through line to get the number.

Nolan testified she had inched her car forward to put ketchup on her burger when she heard a car horn. Realizing she was blocking drive-through traffic, she said, she gunned her car forward and hit Jenkins.

After running over Jenkins, witnesses said, Nolan sped from the parking lot and drove into oncoming traffic on a one-way feeder road. She was arrested at her home after a man who saw the assault followed her and reported her plate to police.

Jurors had the option of convicting Nolan of a lesser crime, such as misdemeanor reckless driving, but prosecutors said it was her spectacular departure that likely led to her felony assault conviction.

"Did she stop?" asked Assistant District Attorney John Jordan. "Did she say, `Oh my Lord, what have I done?' "

Nolan's attorney, Troy Wilson, said his client simply panicked.

"I think more than anything, it was the panic afterward that hurt her with the jury."

[EVO X]

WTH is the matter with people these day's?

They are just spoiled brats that never grew up. I crossed paths with a bunch of em today driving to and from work..

[Sender]

I'm sure the cheeseburgers and service are much better in prison (snicker)

[DonQ]

If she had any sense she would have just sued McDs for a million bucks.
I mean, her fries had gone cold!!

[metalboy]

ha ha ha! Exactly! She should have used the McDonalds made me fat case as an example and have her lawyer come up with "Mc-Rage" "The chemicals in the Mc-food from repeat eating of Mc Cheesburgers made her Mc-violent" Hey, if she were rich and famous her lawyer probably would.

[expatpat]

Was the victim also black?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

I don't understand why this poor lady got singled out for mayo rage.

If sumun spred mayo on my samich widout my 'proval eyed git mitey angy 2.

[Michael.SF.]

OH MY GAWD.............NO MAYONAISE!!!

[GWfan]

I see it every day. I have a private office and people come in off the street and DEMAND to use the phone, yell at my staff and expect us to give them directions.

I hold my temper a lot. I told one woman that we were being very good to her despite her crappy attitude when she demanded we let her use the phone. She then told me she was sick and had thrown up earlier......so glad she used our phone. I had my staff clean the entire office after that one. Nice huh?

I now tell people like this that they are acting inappropriately and need to leave or I will call the police.

[battlegearboat]

"You deserve a break today"

[ConservativeMan55]

Just Damned!!!!!!

[octobersky]

Yeah... maybe she should have went to the "hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don't upset us" place.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Where this silly, stupid, self-absorbed creature's going: EVERYone smells like a McFish Sandwich. :)

[cyborg]

Lizzie Grubman did the same thing and was out of jail in two months.

[Trueblackman]

I smell the liberal blackleadership showing up and screaming racism on this one.

[cyborg]

There are two jobs I will NEVER do, that I'd rather shovel dog crap than do... bank teller dealing with people's money and serve food. I've been working in the 'service' industry since I was fifteen, and have been insulted the most rudest, the most disgusting... wow someone brought up race? I would be RICH if I could sue someone for all the different slurs I've been called because they didn't get their coupon.

Like you, now I just sit back and calmly tell them I have my foot on a police panic button.

[cyborg]

not really unless there's a sizeable 'award' involved

[gipper81]

Judging from her picture she puts mayo on everything

[Holly_P]

Lizzie Grubman did the same thing and was out of jail in two months.

Another Lizzie however took an ax and gave her father forty whacks---and got nothing out of it. Except her parents estate.

[cyborg]

Wow FReepers are so resourceful and a regular fount of knowledge.

[sarasmom]

I can relate.
I especially love the angry non-english speaking people rudely demanding directions and phone access to their destinations.
As my office is tucked well off the beaten path, and slightly difficult to locate, I often wonder why I am so frequently blessed with these types of rude people.
Did they pass a law outlawing polite public behavior that I missed?
One memorable day, a woman parked her car in front of my office, and sent her child of about 10 years old, into a high tech complex asking for job openings/ applications.
What planet do they come from?