McDonald’s employees in Lodi, California knew exactly what to do when a woman told them she was in danger.
Investigators said she was there with a man who had reportedly threatened to kill her.
As soon as the woman walked in on Christmas Eve, she asked for employees to hide her.
"She did come in pretty frantic,” Regina Camera with Golden State Restaurant Group said. “I think it was just one of those kind of flight or fight type of things. They just took over and didn't hesitate."
It turns out the McDonald’s is a designated ‘safe place’ with employees trained to handle all kinds of emergencies.
In this case, they urged the woman to use the restroom.
"Quick thinking on her part. She provided a license plate to the employees at the McDonalds,” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Andrea Lopez said.
When she came out, deputies said she attempted to place an order at the counter, but the man, identified as Eduardo Valenzuela, walked in and demanded she go outside.
"And he said, 'no you need order through the drive-thru,'" Lopez said.
When she pulled up to the window, Lopez said she mouthed the words “help me.”
And that’s when the employees took action.
"Our manager actually had our employees hold up the drive-thru line so that we were able to stop that car from moving forward,” Camera said.
When deputies arrived, they were quickly rushed to the drive-thru, ordering Valenzuela out of the car. They discovered a loaded stolen revolver tucked away inside.
The restaurant credits the employees for taking their emergency training seriously.
"It was such an exciting and proud moment for us to know that what we're doing is working and that our employees are comfortable handling things like that,” Camera said.
Valenzuela is facing charges of making criminal threats, possessing stolen property and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
