Teen Restaurant Worker Faces Attackers in Court as Assaults Continue

Cordova, TN (WorkersCompensation.com) – A teen employee in Tennessee beaten unconscious by customers faced his attackers in court this week as attacks on employees continue across the country.

The 17-year-old Omarion Ford was attacked last week at a Cordova, Tenn., Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. Officials said Ford, was working as host on a Sunday night, when a large party came in. The teen told the party because it was a busy night he would have to seat them at different tables, or have them wait for an hour to get a table together.

When Ford split the party, one of the members complained and asked for a larger table, Ford said.

“The girl in the green said she don’t like the table, so she’d rather get a bigger table, so I said it was still going to be a few minutes, so they left,” Ford told Fox 13.

But the group demanded he find them a table. Later, one of the men at the table approached him to discuss the situation. The conflict escalated and ultimately the man punched Ford in the face.

“His whole family started coming toward me, jumping me,” the 17-year-old said. “And after that is when I blacked out. Don’t remember nothing.”

Police said Brittany Brantley joined in, punching Ford until he fell and hit his head on a wall.

Paramedics were called to the scene to take care of Ford. Ford’s mother, Latisha Ford arrived not long after and found her son on the floor, she said.

Officials said Ford was taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated for a concussion, bruises to his face, a black eye, and bruised lungs. According to officials, he was unconscious for 20 to 30 minutes.

His mother said he is undergoing counseling.

Darius, Kaitlin, Brittany and Carol Brantley were arrested for the incident and charged with aggravated assault. They were released on bonds ranging from $40,000 to $10,000.

On the day of the attack, officials said Darius Brantley was out on bond for a murder charge in a separate case stemming from a theft from a Wing Stop. Court records show he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to three years in prison in November of 2021.

“I am not understanding the justice system. Here is another family going through something with this same suspect. I’m furious,” Ford to Fox 13.

On Monday, Ford will be there when the four are arraigned, according to Fox 13.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen expressed shock and sadness in a statement.

“Violence has no place in our restaurant, and we are cooperating fully with the police investigation. Any further questions should be directed to the Memphis Police Department,” the company said in their statement.

On August 3, a woman working at a smoke shop was attacked when a man tried to rob the store.

The woman was working at the Xhale City Smoke shop in Atlanta when a man attacked her in the store. Officials said the man entered the store and attempted to steal items, but the woman approached him to stop him. In a video of the attack, the man is seen pushing her over the store’s countertop and attacking her before fleeing.

And in New Jersey, authorities are offering up a reward of $50,000 for information leading to the attack on a postal carrier in July.

Officials in Vineland, New Jersey said the postal employee was attacked. According to reports, the postal worker was sprayed with bear spray in an attempted robbery .

"This is something we take as our top priority keeping our carriers safe while they're on their route trying to do their job. And you know these suspects will be called out. And when they are it's a federal crime. And it's punishable up to 25 years in jail," said Alex Sylvester of the United States Postal Inspection Service.

New Jersey postal officials said another postal carrier was attacked in Bridgeton, New Jersey. In that incident a bystander stepped in to stop the attack and help the postal carrier.

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