It was an extraordinary pizza order, the likes of which employees at a Florida Pizza Hut had never seen before.
The customer ordered a classic pie with pepperoni, and included an appeal for assistance in the comments section that read: “Please help. Get 911 to me.”
“I've been here 28 years and never, never seen nothing like that come through,” Candy Hamilton, the restaurant’s manager, told WFLA.
According to police, the order was placed by Cheryl Treadway, of Highlands County, Florida, who was being held hostage, along with her three children, by her 26-year-old boyfriend, Ethan Nickerson.
Nickerson, armed with a knife, had allegedly taken Treadway’s phone and refused to allow her or the kids to leave.
Police said Treadway was able to convince Nickerson to briefly relinquish the phone and allow her to place an online Pizza Hut order.
In the comments section, Treadway wrote the plea for help.
Pizza Hut employees said they recognized Treadway’s name and address, and immediately called 911.
“I was scared for the person," chef Alonia Hawk told WTSP.
Deputies from the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office reportedly rushed to the scene of the hostage situation and were able to rescue Treadway and her children without incident.
Nickerson, who was allegedly high on methamphetamine at the time, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a weapon without intent to kill, battery, false imprisonment and obstructing justice.
In a news release, the sheriff’s office praised Treadway for her potentially life-saving “quick thinking.”
“I don't know if I ever would have thought of it. I mean it's just something that she did so naturally,” Lt. Curtis Ludden told WFLA of the mom’s shrewd move. “The boyfriend never knew about it until he saw us coming around the corner.”
"This was obviously an unusual and unexpected use of our online ordering message system, but we are extremely proud of our team members for taking it seriously and contacting the police," Pizza Hut's director of public relations, Doug Terfehr, told The Huffington Post. "This was a tremendous example of someone showing attention and care for the people in their community."
James Gerken contributed to this story.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.