MADISON COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida man was arrested and charged with robbery for holding up a Waffle House for napkins while using finger guns Monday night, deputies say.
Madison County Sheriff David Harper reports: On Monday, October 18, 2021, at 8:09 p.m., the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a 911 call from an employee of the Waffle House located at 145 SE Bandit Street in Madison who reported an attempted robbery. The caller informed the communications officer that no one was injured, and the suspect got into a vehicle and left the parking lot. Multiple deputies responded, arriving on scene within six minutes and began interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence.
Witnesses stated that a white male wearing a gray hoodie, dark jeans, a dark hat with dark hair accompanied by a small dog entered the Waffle House and began shouting “get on the ground, y’all are getting robbed”. The suspect then stated that he was “high and drunk” before grabbing some napkins and walking out. The suspect did not appear to have a weapon but did raise his hands with his fingers in the shape of a gun.
Investigators were soon able to identify Eward William Rodriguez of Madison as the suspect from the witness descriptions and video surveillance. Deputies were able to locate Rodriguez at his residence on Dinkins Street in Madison. Rodriguez admitted that he had been at the Waffle House “to get some napkins” and stating that he was going to rob the place.
Rodriguez was arrested without incident and transported to the Madison County Jail.
