Mother Of Three Arrested At Applebee’s
36-yr-old faces DWI, child endangerment, assault and disorderly conduct charges
A mother of three faces DWI and child endangerment charges after police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Applebee’s Restaurant on Route 66 Monday, Ocean Township Police Department announced in a written news statement.
Stella A Johnson, 36, of Asbury Park was charged with endangering the welfare of children, assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct, and driving while intoxicated, officials said.
The charges stem from a 5:35 p.m. report of an intoxicated female acting disorderly inside the eatery. Officials said the accused arrived at the restaurant with her three young children, all under the age of eight, and appeared to be intoxicated.
“The staff recognized Johnson as a former employee who immediately got into a verbal argument with someone inside,” officials said. “The staff was able to remove her from the restaurant prior to police arrival.”
An investigation found that Johnson drove while intoxicated to the restaurant with her children. During her arrest, Johnson allegedly kicked an officer prior to being secured in a police car. Her children were turned over to a family member.
The safety and security of our guests and employees is paramount, and specifically, in this case, the safety and well-being of the young children involved was our biggest concern.
In a written statement Applebee’s spokeswoman Laurie Pepitone said:
“The woman in question was not served any alcohol at our Applebee’s location, but in fact, arrived there with her children in a seemingly intoxicated state. We applaud our staff for their quick response and decision to call the police, as they all had the children’s safety in mind. As this is a police matter, any further inquiries should be directed to the local police department.”
Johnson was remanded to Monmouth County Jail, pending a future court appearance. Police Officers Ryan Krug, Dean Schoch and Glennis Polanco investigated.
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