Ronald Gene Smith : “Wingstop employee hit by car in theft incident”

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An Odessa man found himself in hot water last week after allegedly assaulting a restaurant employee during a robbery attempt. Ronald Gene Smith, 35, has been charged with Aggravated Robbery and Driving While Intoxicated.

According to a report from the Odessa Police Department, the incident occurred around 7:35 p.m. on May 18 at Wingstop on 4901 E 42^nd Street. Responding officers were called to investigate a robbery and a subsequent major accident at the scene, where they found a restaurant employee with serious injuries.

Witnesses recounted that Smith entered the establishment and placed an order that did not exist. When informed that the requested order was unavailable, he proceeded to the back counter where to-go orders were stored and took half of a 50-piece order before leaving the premises.

As Smith attempted to drive away, a 50-year-old female employee confronted him. In his haste to escape, he ran over the employee, causing a broken ankle in the process.

Smith’s vehicle, a white Nissan Frontier, was later spotted near the intersection of E Highway 80 and Loop 338. University of Texas Permian Basin Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop and discovered three empty liquor bottles in the vehicle. A receipt from a liquor store indicated that all three bottles had been consumed within a two-hour timeframe preceding the incident at the restaurant.

Investigators noted a strong smell of alcohol emanating from Smith, who refused to undergo field sobriety tests or provide a breath specimen. Despite his denials, officers determined that he was likely intoxicated at the time of the incident.

During questioning, Smith offered conflicting accounts of the robbery, claiming that he was asked by others to collect the food order via text and in person. However, he failed to produce any evidence to support his claims of a legitimate order being placed or paid for.

Smith was subsequently apprehended and taken to the Ector County Law Enforcement Center, where he remained in custody as of May 21. His bail has been set at a combined total of £55,000.