DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A 25-year-old man was arrested Monday on suspicion of stabbing a Burger King worker in the face in an apparent unprovoked attack in Daytona Beach.
Jamar Ragland, of Daytona Beach, was arrested on charges of aggravated battery using a deadly weapon in connection with the Dec. 8 incident.
According to authorities, the attack happened at the Burger King at 825 N. Nova Road when a man, later identified as Ragland, approached a register to place an order and then suddenly reached over the counter and grabbed the employee, attacking her with a knife.
“Her finger is messed up. She’s got a long cut on her face. It looks like it’s on both sides of her face. Her shirt is ripped and everything. It looks like they probably tried to pull her over the counter,” a witness told a 911 operator.
A charging affidavit said, “Out of nowhere, (the suspect) grabbed (the worker) with his left hand and pulled closer to him. (He) took a knife with his right hand and began making slicing motions toward her neck area, striking her with the knife several times.”
Daytona Beach police said the employee suffered lacerations to her face and fingers and was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center for treatment.
“She’s sliced up and all that. Her finger is messed up and everything,” the employee told 911 dispatchers.
The motive for the attack is not known, according to police.
Ragland ran away after the attack, police said.
An anonymous tip led police to Ragland. According to court documents, an anonymous tipster called police and said the suspect looked like a man he met through a local employment agency.
Detectives called the agency and an employee watched the surveillance video. The employee identified the suspect as Ragland.
The victim also positively identified him from a photo lineup, according to the charging affidavit.
Burger King employees said the employee has not returned back to work since the attack.