The California Highway Patrol officer who says he ate a poisoned burrito at a Central Coast Taco Bell is is taking on the restaurant chain and the 17-year old employee who allegedly committed the crime.
CHP officer Martin Ledesma says earlier this month, Santa Maria Taco Bell employee Pedro Sanchez laced his bean burrito with cleaning solution. Sanchez admitted the crime to police, saying he had a run-in with an officer earlier that day.
"The court needs to send a message," says Ledesma's attorney, Bill Gamble. "We're not going to put up with someone putting poisons or substances in our food for some kind of a prank or because they don't like somebody."
Gamble says his client has scars in his mouth from the cleaning solution, and now has anxiety about dining out.
"It's not funny by any means," says Gamble. "We all eat out and to think someone is putting something in our food is repulsive."
17-year old Pedro Sanchez is charged as an adult and has pled not guilty to assault on a peace officer. Sanchez is out on $40,000 bail and has been suspended by Taco Bell.