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‘Walking Dead’ scene with a board full of nails erupts at Taco Bell, Florida cops say

A man walked into a Taco Bell in Fort Myers, Florida, and began smashing things with a board covered in nails, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office says.
A man walked into a Taco Bell in Fort Myers, Florida, and began smashing things with a board covered in nails, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office says. Lee County Sheriff's Office video screengrab

“A scene right out of The Walking Dead” exploded at a Florida Taco Bell, when a man walked in and began swinging a board spiked with nails, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

However, instead of gunning for zombies, he went after the menu boards — and cars in the parking lot, the sheriff’s office says.

It happened Sunday, Dec. 4, at a Taco Bell in Fort Myers, and surveillance footage shows the man did not order anything, eliminating the idea he was upset about his order.

Public Information Officer Julie Martin made “The Walking Dead” analogy, after noticing his weapon was similar to the bat wrapped in barbed wire used by the AMC show’s character Negan Smith.

“Deputies responded ... for a man welding a board covered in nails, smashing the menu boards,” Martin said, noting he “continued on his rage outside, breaking car windows and throwing a paver (stone) into another vehicle.”

No injuries were reported among the staff or customers. The video shows at least one person dodged the suspect by turning down a hallway during the swinging spree.

Deputies arrested the 41-year-old man “shortly after, still carrying the nail-filled board,” Martin said.

He faces “three counts of criminal mischief and providing false identification to law enforcement,” officials said.

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This story was originally published December 6, 2022 at 3:02 PM with the headline "‘Walking Dead’ scene with a board full of nails erupts at Taco Bell, Florida cops say."

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Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a state reporter for The Charlotte Observer and McClatchy News outlets in North Carolina. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. 
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