BULLS GAP - The Hawkins County Sheriff's Office is looking for a "blond heavy frame female" who allegedly attacked a restaurant employee with a catfish Friday evening in Bulls Gap. HCSO Cpl. David Lafollette responded to Di's Diner, 401 Highway 11-E, Bulls Gap, shortly after the incident occurred around 7 p.m. Friday. Diner employee Tina Henry and owner Dwight Jenkins told the deputy that a stocky blond female standing 5 feet 5 inches or 5 feet 6 inches tall attempted to stuff a catfish dinner in her purse and then pay her bill without paying for the catfish dinner. "Tina states that as the suspect was paying, they told her she would have to pay for the dinner in her purse," Lafollette stated in his report. "She (the suspect) then became mad, throwing money at the cash register. The suspect then walked outside, and Tina and Dwight followed. "The suspect then threw the fish out of her purse at Tina, hitting her in the back." Henry was not injured in the catfish attack, but the catfish dinner was ruined. The dinner had a price tag of $7.99. Witnesses said there was a man with the female suspect, but he wasn't involved in the catfish attack or theft. The man did, however, flee with the female suspect in the getaway vehicle, a red and black F-250 pickup. Witnesses were able to provide deputies with two possible license plate numbers, but one came back not on file and the other matched a green 2001 Suzuki. The female suspect is potentially facing theft and assault charges. Anyone with information about the catfish assailant is asked to contact the HCSO at 272-4848.
Totally unjustified, she did not properly identify her target. It's clear, from the hit to the back, that Tina was no longer a threat!
