by Kim Gebbia
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A customer who tried to dine and ditch at a Putnam County restaurant diner ended up in an unexpected arm lock by the waitress she bailed on.
It happened at the Mandarin Palace off Jefferson Boulevard in Cookeville which is family owned and operated.
The Wang family just opened the restaurant in December last month. They said they put their heart soul and savings into the business, so when a 20-year-old customer ate without paying, waitress Susan Wang refused to let her get away with it.
"We work really hard for our money and whatever we have, we work for – it's not given, so we try to protect it," Susan Wang said.
Protecting the family restaurant protects their livelihood.
"We put so much money into this restaurant, we want to succeed," said Kevin Wang.
When Susan Wang saw a customer scarf down three plates at the buffet, then suspiciously walk outside without paying last Wednesday she went after her.
"I ran out and I said, ‘Dad, call the cops,'" said Wang.
Police said Sonya Allen tried to flee without paying, and fought her away out of Mandarin Palace.
"She start swinging at [my father], and I was like, ‘No don't hit him, don't hit him,' and she just keep going at him," Wang said.
When Allen continued to throw punches at her dad, the 5 feet 1 inch, 11-pound server leapt into action.
"I was trying to grab her and then I turned her and her hair was loose so I got her hair and tried to knee her down," said Wang. "I'm a daddy's girl so you don't hurt my family,"
Her brother, Kevin, could hardly believe his sister was able to take down a criminal.
"Susan weighs about 110… that was a bit surprising. Where did she get the strength from?" he said.
"I got her hair and my knee on her back and the other one on the pavement," Wang described, and just like that this petite 24 year old took down 160 pound Allen and held her there until police arrived.
"Do you think she saw this coming from someone like you, little petite 110 pounds. I don't think so which is why she was stupid swinging...just punching..." she said.
The attempt at a hot buffet cost Allen a lot more than the $13 menu price, and gave other diners a lesson – don't mess with Wang's inside their own palace.
"No, no you don't hit my daddy and you don't steal from me," she said.
Allen was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and drug possession when police found Xanax pills on her without a prescription.
The owners of the restaurant must now decide if they want to press charges for theft and simple assault.
Email: kgebbia@newschannel5.com
