OKC man pays with fake money then assaults restaurant manager
A man was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center after a chaotic incident at a south OKC restaurant over the weekend.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) - A man was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center after a chaotic incident at a south OKC restaurant over the weekend.
According to a police report, it happened at the Chelino’s on South Robinson Ave. Sunday evening.
“I feel horrible about the situation,” said Juan Garcia, the restaurant’s manager. “We're just trying to make a living, trying to get by.”
Garcia said everything started off as normal when Dakota Barton and a blonde woman initially came into the restaurant.
"They ordered. They ate. They drank,” said Garcia. “They left their tab on the table. No big deal. People do it all the time.”
However, when Garcia went to get the money, the couple left on the table to pay their $41.82 check, he noticed the $100 bill was fake.
"It was counterfeit money based on the markings on it and what it read,” said Sgt. Dillon Quirk, with the Oklahoma City Police Department.
According to the police report, the bill had the words “for motion picture” written on it.
Garcia told KFOR he ran outside and asked the couple to pay.
"They refused to,” said Garcia. “They took off running across the street."
Garcia said the ordeal eventually escalated when he ran after the couple, and Barton allegedly punched Garcia in the face.
“About two to three times,” said Garcia. “It just kind of surprised us, like, why would you go to that extent?"
Police say the woman took off, but authorities rushed to the scene and arrested Barton.
"Police arrived, took that suspect into custody,” said Quirk. “Fentanyl was located on his person."
In addition to the dine and dash, the police report shows Barton had 1.75 grams of fentanyl on him.
He’s facing multiple charges including assault and battery, trafficking illegal drugs and uttering a forged instrument.
Police say they’re still looking to identify the woman Barton was with. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police.