A Utah man who just wanted to order food at an Arby’s restaurant ended up thwarting a robbery attempt by a knife-wielding woman with a criminal history.
It happened at around noon on Sunday when, according to the Deseret News, the customer was placing his order in the drive-thru of the Vernal roast beef sandwich franchise.
When the man realized that the cashier was not responding to him he pulled out of the drive-thru, parked his truck, and went inside the store to order his food there.
In the store, one of the cashiers mouthed to him the words “We’re being robbed.”
Stephanie Lee Lente, 37, was threatening cashiers with a knife and demanding money.
“I went out to my truck and got my gun,” the man, a concealed carry permit holder, told the Deseret News on the condition of anonymity.
After retrieving his firearm, he went back into the restaurant and showed Lente that he had a gun and ordered her not to move. But she didn’t listen.
“She picked up a bag and came at me,” the man said. “That’s when I pointed my gun at her.”
He was able to wrestle the knife away from Lente, but he held her at gunpoint until police arrived. When they did, the man says he immediately lowered the gun so the cops wouldn’t mistake him for the suspect.
Police arrested Lente and commended the man for thwarting the robbery and also for having the awareness to consider the perception of the responding officers.
Lente is being held in Uintah County jail on charges of aggravated robbery and possession of a controlled substance.
According to the Deseret News, Lente’s criminal record includes charges of abuse of a psychotoxic chemical solvents, theft, assault, criminal mischief, violation of a protective order and wrongful appropriation.
