Cucumber Rage Leads To Man's Arrest At Wendy's

AUGUST 3--Incensed that there were not enough cucumbers in his salad, a Pennsylvania man allegedly threatened the life of a Wendy’s employee and later sought to drive away from the fast food eatery while a police officer had his arm inside the suspect’s vehicle, according to court records.

Police say that Theodore Gunderson, 58, entered the Wendy’s in Earl Township around 3:40 PM Sunday and ordered a salad.

Upon receiving his grub, the 5’8”, 240-pound Gunderson “immediately caused a disturbance in the business by throwing the salad at an employee because the salad did not have enough cucumbers,” a probable cause affidavit charges.

Gunderson then threatened the employee, saying, “If I had a gun or a knife you would be the first to go.”

When a New Holland Police Department patrolman arrived at the restaurant (seen below), Gunderson was inside his auto. “The defendant then refused to put his window down or get out of his vehicle,” Officer Michael Specht reported.

After Gunderson lowered his window, Specht told him that he was not free to leave and “was being placed under arrest.” When the cop tried to grab the keys from the vehicle’s ignition, Gunderson began to “drive away with the Officer’s hand and arm still inside the vehicle.” The officer “had to take multiple steps” to extract his arm “in order to keep himself from tripping and possibly falling under the car.”

Gunderson was subsequently arrested for assaulting a law enforcement officer, a felony, and three misdemeanors, including making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct. He is being held in the Lancaster County prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

A search of Gunderson’s vehicle turned up several knives, though he is not facing charges related to those weapons. (3 pages)