3 arrested in attack on teenage Chili's worker enforcing coronavirus rules, police say

BATON ROUGE, La - Louisiana authorities have arrested three women accused of assaulting a teenage restaurant hostess because they were upset they couldn’t all be seated together due to coronavirus distancing rules.

Tammy Dabney, 48, was charged with aggravated second-degree battery, and Rodneka Dabney, 27, and Erica Dabney, 46, were booked on counts of disturbing the peace and simple battery, Baton Rouge police said Thursday.

The 17-year-old hostess told news outlets she was working at a Baton Rouge Chili’s last weekend when a party of 11 people arrived and wanted to be seated together. She said the restaurant’s coronavirus policies stipulated no more than six people could be seated at a table.

RELATED: CoronavirusNOW.com, FOX launches national hub for COVID-19 news and updates

When the worker told the group they couldn’t be seated all together, they became irate, she said. When she brought her manager over, the group of women attacked the teen, she said, adding they pushed her and began beating her.

The worker said she was trying to defend herself when one woman took a wet floor sign and struck her with it, leaving her bleeding.

The victim received moderate injuries and sought treatment at a hospital, Baton Rouge police spokesman Sgt. Don Coppola Jr. said Wednesday. Surveillance video was obtained by police and the teen filed a police report, news outlets reported.

RELATED: CDC says masks with exhalation valves do not prevent spread of COVID-19

The restaurant’s managers referred all questions to its corporate office, which did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.

It was unclear whether the suspects had attorneys who could comment on the charges.