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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man was arrested Wednesday after police say he attacked a fast-food employee after making a derogatory comment, then claimed to police that he was a fellow officer.
Justin Allen Fox, 30, entered Burger King, 10235 S. State in Sandy, walked up to the counter where a Hispanic man was working and asked if he could "buy Mexicans here," according to a police booking affidavit.
The employee told Fox to leave, prompting him to shove the cash register. The employee then walked around the counter and again told Fox to leave. Fox reacted by hitting the employee's head, the affidavit states.
The employee returned a punch and got Fox outside the restaurant, but Fox continued fighting and hit the man with a garbage can lid and threw a handful of landscaping rocks at him, hitting the employee in the head, arm and chest, according to the affidavit.
Police arrived at the scene as Fox was walking away. They said they ordered him three to four times to stop.
"Justin turned around and walked toward officers. Justin told officers he owned the store and didn't need to stop. Justin also claimed multiple times throughout our interaction that he was a police officer," investigators wrote in the affidavit.
Officers found methamphetamine in Fox's pocket. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, assault, impersonating an officer, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
Fox has a lengthy criminal history, according to court records. Most recently, he was arrested a week ago for breaking into a Salt Lake business, according to a police affidavit. Police say it was the second time this year he had broken into the same business.
