Florida man allegedly takes bite of RaceTrac pizza, leaves without paying
Ronald Broaddus was arrested and charged with petit theft on May 10, 2024. (Photo: Flagler County Sheriffs Office)
PALM COAST, Fla. - A Florida man has landed himself in jail after he allegedly took a bite out of a slice of pizza from inside a RaceTrac and left without paying for it because he was "tired" after work and "didn't have the money," according to an arrest affidavit from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
Ronald Broaddus, 62, was arrested and charged with petit theft on Friday after the incident that unfolded at the gas station on SR-100 in Palm Coast, the affidavit said.
A RaceTrac employee told deputies that a man, later identified as Broaddus, stole pizza and frozen yogurt and left the store without paying, according to the affidavit. The employee said he went outside to confront Broaddus, who initially said he did pay for the items even though two people inside the gas station said he didn't.
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"I told him, ‘I’m calling the police.' He proceeded (as I'm on the phone with dispatch) to throw away the pizza box and ice cream. He came back to his bike (as I'm still on the phone with dispatch) and said, ‘You better watch your back because I'm going to kick your a***," the employee said, according to the affidavit. "He then proceeded to step toward me with his bike in a hostile way. I stayed far enough back so he could not touch me. He then rode away."
The employee said RaceTrac wished to pursue charges, and also trespass Broaddus from the location.
The two slices of buffalo chicken pizza and a cup of frozen yogurt totaled $8.98 before tax.
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Another deputy located Broaddus nearby and initiated a traffic stop. In a post-Miranda interview with deputies, Broaddus said he went into the gas station, picked up the frozen yogurt and pizza and walked outside to eat. The man said he was approached by an employee and told him that he didn't have enough money to pay for the items, but would pay for it at a later time.
"(Broaddus) then stated that he threw the pizza and ice cream away after the clerk threatened to call law enforcement," the affidavit said.
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He was placed under arrest for petit theft and was transported to the Flagler County Inmate Facility. Broaddus' sister was contacted and she retrieved the bicycle after the arrest.
Broaddus told deputies that even though he was trespassed from the gas station, he "will be returning" to "defacate on the property," the affidavit said.
Broaddus remains in custody on $1,000 bond.