Family wins $40,000 over food tainted with urine

northplattebulletin ^ | 7-15-08

[doug from upland]

Family wins $40,000 over food tainted with urine by North Platte Bulletin Staff - 7/14/2008

A police officer from Sidney and his family won $40,000 from a restaurant that served them food tainted with an employee’s spit and urine.

Officer Keith Andrew and his wife said in the lawsuit that a Taco Bell employee urinated and spit in food served to them and their children in October 2005.

The owner of the restaurant is North Platte’s Mid-Plains Food and Lodging, owner of a KFC and Taco Bell here too.

The jury sided with the Andrews July 11.

In the lawsuit, the couple said their two sons, 4 and 7 at the time, became ill after they ate the food ordered in the restaurant. The 4-year-old became violently ill" according to the lawsuit, and that he vomited for hours. He was diagnosed with gastroenteritis and dehydration.

Other workers witnessed employee Casey Diedrich. taint the food, according to the lawsuit, and they reported his actions to the managers but the managers did not inform the family, the lawsuit said. They also did not immediately discipline Diedrich.

The lawsuit suggested the Diedrich’s actions were a scheme that targeted police officers.

"Employees maintained 'special servings' of food reserved for ... officers," the lawsuit said. "The 'special servings' had been urinated in or spit in by KFC/Taco Bell employees. In fact, defendant's employees maintained a particular serving pan for use in creating 'special servings' of food plus employee urine."

The employee admitted tainting other officers’ food.

In March 2007, Diedrich pleaded guilty to violating the Nebraska Pure Food Act for tainting the Andrews food and was fined $100, according to court records.

Diedrich was eventually fired for missing work but not for any of the incidents the lawsuit cited.

[Cobra64]

What’s up with Taco Bell?

Mexicans.

[Myrddin]

Roberto's opened a restaurant in Chubbuck, ID. The menus were identical to what I had seen when living in Mira Mesa (northern San Diego city). All was well until a warrant was served on the new owner for failing to pay his bills. He was arrested by Chubbuck PD. His employees decided to get "even". They served some other officers of Chubbuck PD a burrito filled with urine and chunks of broken glass. The officer cut the burrito with his fork and observed the yellow liquid run out. There was a strong odor of urine. The employees were standing at the kitchen door laughing. It wasn't funny. The local conservative talk show was on the air on KWIK (Trish and Halli). The incident was reported to them and they shared the experience with everyone in southeast Idaho. It's pretty lonely running a restaurant when nobody comes to buy anything. They were out of business in days. I'm sure the officers could have sued the pants off of the owner. He was put out of business with a single phone call to a local talk show.

[LomanBill]

[Diedrich’s actions were a scheme that targeted police officers.]

Unfortunately this is not uncommon.

It's the reason when my dad was on the job there were only certain restaurants that he would eat in.

[Rightly Biased]

"What’s up with Taco Bell?"

Damn Mexican Phone Company

[matthew fuller]

"I would not eat at Taco Bell."

I will turn 64 too soon, and I have NEVER eaten at a Taco Bell. I have eaten at an Arby's once, in 1969 if I remember correctly.

[AZLiberty]

After this discussion, I may never eat fast food again.

[derllak]

Yup. Another reason why I avoid dining out.

[Smokin' Joe]

Apparently this was done to numerous police officers with the knowledge of other employees.

Not too bright to just screw with the police force in any town, really, but especially on this level. That has ways of coming back to haunt people...

[Fundamentally Fair]

Mexicans

Casey Diedrich

[TexasRepublic]

After this discussion, I may never eat fast food again.

That would be smart. Most I have seen are staffed with air-head teenagers and scary looking people. I really don't like those types within 100 yards of anything I put in my mouth. I once knew a kid that bragged about squashing flies into the banana-nut ice cream at Baskin Robbins.