COBB COUNTY, Georgia — Is getting a drive-thru order wrong a criminal offense in Georgia?
Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens Sr. is being accused of acting like it is after he reportedly called three deputies to respond in their patrol cars with lights on when a Burger King messed up his order.
WSB Channel 2 reports video from body cameras worn by officers shows the incident, which occurred in March 2023. It recently was brought to light by a candidate running against Owens for sheriff.
The videos reportedly show a responding deputy approach Owens, who is sitting his truck. Owens asks the deputy to go inside the Burger King to get the name of the manager or the franchise’s owner. Owens complains he asked for a Whopper with no mayonnaise and that it be cut in half, but the order reportedly was not filled correctly.
“I don’t need no damn money back no more,” Owens says in the video, according to Local 12. “I just need to find out who owns this place so I can do an official complaint.”
WSB reports the employees at the Burger King had locked themselves inside the restaurant but eventually opened the doors for the deputies. A deputy assures the workers they’re not in trouble and that he only needs the name of a manager or owner.
Mike Dondelinger, who is running for chief deputy with David Cavender, Owens’ opponent, accused the sheriff of wasting resources, Local 12 reports. But Owens said the incident is being politicized.
“I was not in my uniform, and at no point in my interaction with the staff did I identify myself as a member of the law-enforcement community,” Owens said. “At no point did I indicate my position, nor did I ask the responders to do anything that they would not, had not, or have not done for anyone else who makes a business dispute call.”
