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Take a moment and think of a few places that start with the letter “c”, serve food, and prioritize customer service. If your first thought was “Chick-fil-A”, your response fits the bill. If you came up with “casino”, your answer also satisfies our requirements, though it’s interesting your mind went there. We don’t judge. For Kaudija Shondrelle Haynes, 32, of Birmingham, AL, these two worlds collided on Friday, January 2, in a fast-food robbery turned gambling spree turned car chase.
While this wouldn’t be the last collision of the night, it would be a multi-hour saga that resulted in tow trucks and arrests. The story goes as follows:
Mace in the Drive-Thru
The aforementioned crime originated on Friday morning at the Ashville Rd Chick-fil-A in Leeds, AL. Sometime before 9 a.m., Haynes pulled up to the drive-thru in her white SUV and placed an order. She waited in a line of cars, as one does.
When it came time to fetch her order, Haynes pulled out a can of mace and threatened the Chick-fil-A employee working the drive-thru window, demanding a bag of cash lest they get sprayed. Chick-fil-A obliged.
Time to Hit the Casino
Act 2 of the story begins on the roads of Central Alabama. After securing an undisclosed amount of cash, Haynes begins a nearly two-hour journey to the Wind Creek casino in Wetumpka, AL — about 15 miles north of Montgomery. What Haynes’ state of mind was during the crime, or her overall motives, remains unclear. We do know, however, that she was able to enter the casino and begin placing bets with the Chick-fil-A money.
Chick-fil-A’s founder S. Truett Cathy often talked about the importance of delivering “home style” service at his restaurants. Haynes was definitely playing with some version of house money on Friday night, though I’m not sure this was Cathy’s intention. Onward.
Law Enforcement Arrives
It wasn’t long before law enforcement got wind — no pun intended — of Haynes’ location in Wetumpka. Shortly after identifying her position, police dispatched to the casino, arriving later on Friday. Their entrance prompted a swift exit from Haynes, leading to an active pursuit.
A Car Chase Ensues
We don’t know how long the car chase lasted, but we do know it was a bit chaotic. Regarding the chase, Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin said:
“The female recklessly exited the parking lot, putting other employees’ lives in danger.”
The pursuit ended in the woods, with Haynes appearing to have totaled her car. Reports indicate she was apprehended shortly after the crash.
Woman who allegedly robbed a Chick-fil-a then used the ill-gotten funds to gamble at a casino arrested after eluding police and crashing into law enforcement vehicles. No this did not happen in Florida, but close. https://t.co/X5Oxtd6ayb pic.twitter.com/CASIstfboR
— gambling911 (@gambling911) January 7, 2026
Haynes currently resides in the Elmore County jail on charges of attempting to elude, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond is set at $116,000.
The “Resolution” Of it All
What the future holds for Haynes remains to be seen. We wish her the best. As we turn the page on a New Year, it’s impossible to ignore the timing of this story and how silly, yet unfortunate it is. People often look to the changing of the calendar as an opportunity to get closer to an idealized version of themselves, whether that be through maximizing their fitness routine, prioritizing their career goals, or focusing on their financial future.
When it comes to achieving some of these goals, or dare I say “resolutions”, there are undeniably things that we can and can’t control.
In Haynes’ case, things might look a little different if the day after New Year’s fell on a Sunday.
