Marvin Washington Jr., South Carolina McDonald's employee, arrested for spitting in customers' drink

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Marvin Washington Jr, 19

/ CBS/WLTX

(CBS/AP/WLTX) SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. - South Carolina county deputies say a McDonald's employee was arrested after he spit in two customers' cups of iced tea after the drinks were returned because they weren't sweet enough.

According to police, 19-year-old Marvin Washington Jr. was arrested Wednesday and charged with malicious tampering with food.

CBS affiliate WLTX reports on April 14, a mother and daughter ordered sweet tea from the drive-thru of the McDonalds.

The woman claimed it wasn't sweet, so they asked for new drinks. Authorities say the two then discovered a large deposit of phlegm when they removed the lids of the drink to add more sugar because the second round of beverages still weren't sweet enough.

The alleged victims then called law enforcement.

Greenville County investigators say surveillance video caught Washington leaning over the cups before he filled them Saturday at the restaurant.

The McDonald's owner says he follows strict food safety procedures and asks people not to reach conclusions until all of the facts come out.

Washington was booked at the Greenville County Detention Center. It wasn't immediately clear Wednesday if he had a lawyer.

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by Seti-II April 21, 2012 7:28 PM EDT: I'm sure you prefer those who shoot unarmed children wearing hoodies.
Or, those who drive around and gun down unarmed men.; Reply to this comment


by Good_Citizens April 21, 2012 8:31 AM EDT: Marvin is a fine young man who is being slandered by strangers. Stop and think about a young person you may know who works at a fast food restaurant. How would his/her life be changed if someone made a false accusation like this?; Reply to this comment


by slipperyslope1 April 19, 2012 9:33 PM EDT: Is that what Barack Obama's son would look like?; Reply to this comment


by Rand_Y April 19, 2012 6:58 PM EDT: I never eat at restaurants that hire bloods or crypts for just this reason.; Reply to this comment


by cooldadfromfortworth April 19, 2012 6:51 PM EDT: So lisa, are you going to go there? Immediatly saying they are Overweight? and with poor dental hygene? Maybe you should have some one spitting in your child's drink!!! TROLL!; Reply to this comment

by LisaMW621 April 19, 2012 1:00 PM EDT

They were probably both as big as the side of a barn with no teeth if McDonald's sweet tea wasn't sweet enough for them. It's like drinking brown sugar water, no taste of tea whatsoever.

Reply to this comment


by bowlrbabe April 26, 2012 7:18 PM EDT: I happen to be a good family friend and I am upset that Marvin has been hung in the court of opinion, without all of the facts being reported.

1. Marvin still has a job with McDonalds if he wants it and the owner of the store has reviewed the tape. He is standing behind his employee.

2. Who are the victims? Marivn and his family still don't know (and of course, the media has not said.....don't you find that a bit strange?)

3. Who was it that disposed of the tea and phelgm? Was it the cops or the supposed victims? (Bet you didn't kow there was no evidence to be tested for DNA, as the media never reported that.)

4. The full press release from the owner is not being told to the public. His release says, and I quote ""Nothing is more important to me than the safety and well being of my customers. I want to assure my customers that my restaurant has the most stringent food safety and quality standards and I caution anyone from reaching a conclusion without the facts." The media time after time failed to quote the last part of the release that cautions anyone from reaching a conclusion without the facts. Why would they leave that off? To make the story appear better and to make Marvin appear guilty?

5. An "unnamed" police officer who wishes to remain nameless, states that the amount of phelgm in the cup more than a simple hocking of a lougie and that to him, it would seem that the person that it belonged to would have
had to have been sick to produce that amount.

6. Marvin nor his family has even been allowed to see the tape as of Tuesday when I last spoke to his mother.

7. Marvin knew there were security cameras all over that store. Are you telling me he "hocked up" 2 lougies to spit into that cup and no co-workers or other customers heard or saw a thing?

Marvin is one of the nicest, well mannered kids I have ever met and he is being falsely accused by, who I believe, someone who is simply looking for a pay day. Marvin happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.