A 75-year-old woman died after a physical altercation with a Tim Hortons employee in Indiana, following a dispute over a drive-thru order.
According to the Fort Wayne Police Department, 75-year-old Anita Grayson entered a Tim Hortons location in Fort Wayne around 8:09 a.m. on May 13 to address an issue with an order she had received through the drive-thru.
Police said Grayson began “berating” a 17-year-old employee, prompting a 20-year-old shift lead to step in and repeatedly ask her to leave.
According to investigators, when Grayson appeared to move toward the teenage worker, the shift lead placed her hands on the older woman “in an apparent effort to prevent her from reaching” the employee.
Police allege Grayson then pushed and struck the shift lead, escalating the confrontation into a physical fight.
Authorities say Grayson struck the employee multiple times, grabbed her hair, and pulled her to the ground. The shift lead reportedly fought back by swatting at Grayson’s arm before other workers separated them.
After the altercation, Grayson reportedly sat at a table, spoke on her phone, and picked up clumps of the shift lead’s hair from the floor, placing them into her bag.
Around 8:22 a.m., police said Grayson lay down on the floor. The shift lead checked on her with a cup of water after noticing something was wrong.
By the time officers arrived, Grayson was unresponsive.
Emergency crews attempted lifesaving measures before transporting her to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Investigators said the cause and manner of death remain pending, although an autopsy reportedly found “no significant contributory injuries.”
Grayson’s daughter, Tawnda Grayson, disputed the police account and criticized the handling of the incident.
“You should not enter a coffee shop for a coffee and a doughnut and come out unalived,” she said. “That is diabolical.”
Rohli Booker also criticized the police response, saying: “It felt very much like victim blaming, and that is not okay… We have got to do better.”
A fundraiser created for the family described Anita as a mother of four and “a faithful Jehovah’s Witness.”
“She was a God-fearing woman with a loving spirit who dedicated her life to her faith, her children, and her family,” loved ones wrote. “She was the best mother anyone could ask for — hardworking, compassionate, selfless, and always willing to help others before herself.”
Police say they have submitted the completed investigation to prosecutors for review, and no charging decision has been announced.
