A Tavares Middle School student was arrested for allegedly calling in a false bomb threat to the Wendy’s in Eustis last month.
The call came into the restaurant, located at 2827 Bay St., shortly before 6 p.m. on April 9. The manager told a Eustis police officer that a young male voice asked, “Is this Wendy’s?” When the manager said yes, the caller said, “You better get out. It’s about to blow up.” The manager called police and the restaurant was evacuated and swept for explosives. None were found, according to the police report.
Police were able to trace the number to a 14-year-old juvenile male, whose name is being withheld due to his age. The teen, who lives with his father in Tavares, admitted that he and his stepbrother made a series of crank calls, including one to Wendy’s. He said he didn’t remember which one of them called Wendy’s, but they said things like, “Hurry up and go,” and, “Hurry up and get out of there and stuff.” The teen said they did not practice or plan what they were going to say, the report said.
The teen’s stepbrother gave a similar account to police. He also said they didn’t practice or plan what they were going to say, and that the purpose for saying “hurry up and run” in the call to Wendy’s was to “scare them.”
The teen the phone was registered to is the one charged with making a false bomb threat. He was taken into juvenile custody.
