There’s Finally An Arrest In The South Carolina Chipotle Attack

The attack of an employee at a South Carolina Chipotle is a story I have followed since December.  I found it both unimaginable and scary at the same time.  You assume something as innocent as placing an order at a restaurant won't result in a vicious assault.  However, that's where we are in the world these days.  People seem to get triggered in a blink of an eye.  But, there's finally an arrest in the South Carolina Chipotle attack.

So, here's the background in a nutshell.  Apparently, one of the suspects attempted to place an order at the Indian Land restaurant on a Sunday night.  And, when the 20 year old female Chipotle worker informed the customer that her additional chicken request was extra the customer became angry.  And, a fight began.

Then, according to reports, the worker attempted to leave the restaurant.  But, a male companion of the customer began assaulting the worker.  And, the customer joined in.  Then, the attack progressed to hair pulling and body slamming, resulting in some injury to the female employee.

Witnesses identified suspects as 36 year old Jamel Bernard Williams and 34 year old Kayla Nicole Pyle.  Pyle reportedly placed the order before the fight began.  Williams reportedly approached the victim as she attempted to leave the restaurant, pushing her to the floor as part of the assault.

Authorities used witness accounts and video to help identify those involved who then fled the scene after the attack.  According to reports, authorities charged Williams with assault and battery 1st degree.  And, Pyle faces charges of assault and battery 2nd degree.

Well, according to WCNC, the suspects turned themselves in this week.  Williams turned himself in on Monday.  And, Pyle followed on Thursday.  Williams posted an $8500 bond for his charges.  And, Pyle's bond is set at $5000.

So, I for one am thrilled the pair will finally face consequences for the ridiculous incident.  This story hits particularly close to home for me.  The site of the attack is a Chipotle in Indian Land right behind my home.  The restaurant has only been open a few months.  And, often times we pop in for a quick dinner.  It's close enough that we can walk over and grab a to go order.

I feel lucky I wasn't there the night of the attack.  But, we were home when it all went down practically in our backyard.  You just never know.  We'll keep you updated on the arrest in the South Carolina Chipotle attack.  But, if you do have information on the incident, contact the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office at (803)283-3388.

Being a native Texan, I never grow tired of Mexican food. I think I would be happy eating it multiple times a week. Like many of you, we have taco Tuesday every week. And, it's a go-to choice for dining out in our family. In fact, we just had a wonderful Mexican dinner last night at one of our favorite places. Restaurant Clicks published a list of their favorites including Azteca, Three Amigos, Bakersfield and more.  Quite a few of my faves made their picks along with a few I hadn't tried. But these are the ones our family happily returns to time and time again. So, if you want some suggestions for places you may have missed but need to try, this list is for you. These are a few of our top Mexican food restaurants in Charlotte.

This is our absolute favorite place in all of Charlotte. We discovered it a couple of years ago through a friend's suggestion. It's spot on every time. Many of the aspects remind us of a chain we love in Texas called Pappasito's. I highly recommend the fajitas. We get a mix of chicken and steak. They both have a fantastic smoky flavor that not all typical fajita dishes have. You get all the traditional fixings. The tortillas are hand-made and delicious. But, our favorite part is the little ramekin of melted garlic butter. It's a tremendous addition to pour over or dip. They do that at the Texas chain, too. So, we were thrilled to find it. The salsa is delicious as well. They have two locations. One is near South End on Worthington.  The other is Strawberry Hill on Providence.

My friend and I stumbled onto RuRu's Tacos and Tequila one Saturday afternoon.  She wanted Tequila.  So, she went on a search and I happily accompanied!  We sat at the outside bar and started sampling tequila and tacos among other things.  The vibe there was so cool.  And, the menu items all have clever names with the taste on point.  For instance, "Ma the Meatloaf," is a line from "Wedding Crashers."  It's also RuRu's Guacamole and Chips.  I had the "Why So Serious" tacos of ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, pico and crema.  That, of course, is a nod to Joker.  You get the idea.  Anyway, it's fantastic.  Just go there!  Find them at 715 Providence Rd.

Condado Tacos is relatively new.  It's located in South End right near the light rail.  It's walking distance to our office, so it's super convenient for anyone grabbing a quick bite during a work day downtown.  They offer pretty traditional fare, but they also have a few twists.  Seasonally, they have the Sriracha Butter Chicken.  It's in a flour soft shell with a Thai coconut basil sauce.  Another favorite of mine is brisket with jicama, cabbage slaw, pickled red onion, queso fresco and chipotle crema.  They have plenty of "Build Your Own" options and bowls, too.  I like that I could get lettuce as a base when I want low carb.  Find them at 1536 Camden Rd.

Tipsy Taco is another spot we enjoy.  It's in Stonecrest Shopping Center on Rea Rd.  If I'm not mistaken, it might be where Cantina 1511 used to be.  We started visiting Tipsy Taco this past summer.  We just started a diet, and they had an option of lettuce wraps for fajitas and tacos in place of tortillas.  That was just what we needed to get our fix while staying low carb.  The flavors delivered. We went for the filet and lobster tail fajitas. The taco offerings look amazing. I was particularly interested in the Bang Bang Tacos with shrimp and sweet chile sauce. And, I love the sound of Seoul Mate with filet and Korean BBQ sauce, Yum Yum sauce, crispy wontons and sesame seeds. It's a great place to grab a bite before or after a movie at Regal Cinemas nearby. Check them out at 7708 Rea Rd.

Chuy's is an all time favorite of ours.  Our love for Chuy's goes all the way back to Texas.  That's where Chuy's story began.  They were born in Austin, Texas in 1982 in an old abandoned BBQ joint.  But, having them in Charlotte is like having a piece of our home state with us.  They're located in Waverly Shopping Center on Providence Rd. near 485.  The house made flour tortillas are out of this world.  And, when they bring out the salsa, don't forget to ask for the jalapeno ranch.  Honestly, everything is great.  But, my absolute favorite is the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Enchiladas. Be sure to check out their menu online. And find them at 7314 Waverly Walk Ave.

We first found 37 Sol about a year ago during restaurant week.  We went with friends on a cold night that turned snowy on our way home.  The meal was fantastic.  Their tequila offerings and cocktails were delicious.  We started with their Jalapeno Cucumber Margarita.  That was delicious.  We moved on to the Sol Trio of dips for an app.  It included queso, guac and salsa.  I had steak quesadillas that rocked.  Everyone got something a little different, and we loved it all.  And, the Mexican Street Corn Soup I could eat every day!  Check them out for sure.  Find them at 8724 Outlets Blvd. in Charlotte.