A shocking incident at a Sonic Drive-In restaurant recently left customers and employees uneasy. Jeffrey David Salazar, 54, was arrested and faces a felony charge for the possession of a controlled substance. The substance was inadvertently placed in a customer’s “Coney” hot dog and tested positive for cocaine.
The customer had bitten into a plastic bag containing the drug, though she does not believe any powdered substance went into her mouth. Salazar admitted to police that he purchased the cocaine from someone in the restaurant’s parking lot.
The affidavit for the arrest warrant stated that Salazar was observed on video surveillance conducting a hand-to-hand transaction with a female employee. After delivering the food, Salazar frantically searched the area “as if he lost something.”
The incident at Sonic raises questions about food safety in restaurants nationwide. How did the cocaine end up on the customer’s hot dog? While Salazar is responsible for the incident, it highlights the need for restaurants to have strict safety protocols to protect customers from exposure to dangerous substances.