Jennifer Klotz
CMN 665
Dr. Ron Bishop
1/29/07

Burger King, No Longer “Having It Your Way”


Lancaster, Pennsylvania - David Fowler, 23, was arrested June 30 and charged with assaulting four employees at a Burger King restaurant in the 3100 block of Kirkwood Highway.
Fowler allegedly argued with the cashier at the Burger King drive-through window at around 6:15 p.m. about how much he was charged for his meal and for the cashier’s failure to give him a “Chicken Run” toy that Burger King was featuring in their kids menus. The cashier told Fowler he could not give him the toy because they were only for children. Fowler, a father of two, was alone at the time of the incident.
The situation escaladed when Fowler proceeded to park his car and enter the Burger King restaurant crowded with children and their parents trying to eat dinner, shouting that he wanted the toy. Fowler then punched two male employees and threw a third male employee over the counter. Fowler also broke a store shelf that collapsed nearly striking a small child.
Fowler is charged with three counts of assault, malicious destruction of property and disorderly conduct. Fowler is currently being held at the New Castle County Detention Center after failing to post ten thousand dollars bail following his June 30th arraignment.
The prosecution, Assistant District Attorney Colleen McGinnis can’t believe the extremes people will go to for something so irrelevant. “All this for a toy? Have we become so obsessed with collecting things that we’ve forgotten how to act? Society shouldn’t tolerate this kind of behavior.”
Fowler’s attorney, public defender Brian Bauer, who was assigned to Fowler by the County, was less than excited to comment on the case. After three tries, Bauer finally states, “He (Fowler) wanted the toy for his younger daughter. He became enraged when he realized he wouldn’t be able to get it for her. I’m not excusing what he did, but how would you feel if you were in his position?” I don’t think Bauer really wants us to answer that, does he? Bauer also says he is working with McGinnis on a plea bargain in which Fowler would plead guilty to two of the assaults (it is not clear if one of the employees was punched or just pushed), agree to pay for the damage done to the Burger King restaurant, and perform community service for the disorderly conduct charge. Fowler has no previous criminal record.
McGinnis confirms that preliminary negotiations are currently taking place. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 18 at 10 a.m. before the honorable Judge Jane Dorton.