Videos showed the cashier stopping her at the door, grabbing the drink and giving Ann Flores’ money back. Then Flores said the cashier attacked her.
CEDAR HILL, Texas — When Ann Flores left her mother-in-law’s funeral last September, all she wanted was to repeat their favorite routine.
“She was wanting to stop and get one of those slushies,” said Flores, a Cedar Hill resident.
The two used to stop at the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Cedar Hill for slushies.
On Sept. 27, instead of spending $1.06 for a special memory, the cost was more than Flores expected.
“I can’t. Words can’t describe how before that day…That day has changed my life,” she said.
Surveillance videos from inside the store showed Flores buying her slushie. There’s no audio to confirm what was said, but Flores can be seen putting her money on the counter and sliding it toward the cashier.
“She says, ‘pick up that,’ you know. ‘Pick it up and put it in my hand,’” said Flores.
That is when she said she started to leave. She told WFAA that the cashier began shouting racial slurs.
Videos showed the cashier stopping her at the door, grabbing the drink and giving Flores’ money back. Then Flores said the cashier attacked her. “Just blindsided, something that over $1.06,” said Flores.
Her lawyer, Adam Muery said she suffered two fractures in her back, was scratched and bitten.
“Never have I seen ever a case where there was an employee of a store who so viciously and violently attacked a customer over nothing,” Muery said.
Flores and her lawyer have filed a lawsuit against Walmart seeking more than $11 million. The lawsuit lists assault and negligent hiring, training and supervision.
Muery said the cashier had previous criminal charges, including theft and aggravated assault.
“Whenever we look at Walmart and their culpability, they should have known better than to have this person employed in that position dealing with the public and in a position of trust,” Muery said.
The lawsuit also pointed to false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
“We would like to see Walmart and similar stores learn from this experience and make sure that the people that they have interacting with the public, that they don’t have a violent criminal history, that they haven’t been to prison multiple times, and that they’re not going to be placing the public at risk just for being able to come in,” Muery said. “I think that’s a minimum that could be required.”
In a statement to WFAA, Walmart said: “We take the safety and security of our customers seriously. We will review the complaint and respond appropriately to the Court.”
WFAA tried but has not been able to get in touch with the cashier.
“I felt she just want to prove a point, and unfortunately over $1.06 that’s what I’m shocked at,” Flores said.
It’s a cost that came with a fear that Flores said no one should have to pay.