A Roslindale man got into an accident near the Dedham Mall on Monday, then drove to a Norwood McDonald's where he allegedly threatened employees at a drive-through window with what appeared to be a pistol for not filling his order fast enough, police in each town said.
Anthony Spinale, 29, of 1 Johnswood Road, was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon.
Employees of the McDonald's on Everett Street at Rte. 1 called police Monday around 10:30 a.m. and said a man at the drive-through window threatened them with what appeared to be a pistol if they did not provide speedy service, Norwood Police said yesterday.
An officer near the fast-food restaurant found the black Pontiac Grand Prix Spinale was driving matched the description of a car wanted by Dedham Police in a hit-and-run accident earlier in the morning, according to Norwood police. A search of the car found a pellet gun on the floor, police said.
"He was waiting for food at the drive-through and pointed what looked like a handgun at the employees," Paul Bishop, Norwood Police spokesman said. "An officer on a detail arrived at the scene and realized the vehicle was of interest in Dedham. He searched the car and recovered a small pistol that turned out to be a pellet gun."
Dedham Police said they had sent out a description of the Pontiac after receiving a call several minutes earlier from a motorist on Providence Highway who said the vehicle's driver had threatened him with a handgun after an accident near the Dedham Mall.
"The caller said he had been bumped from behind at a stoplight and pulled over to see whether there had been any damage to his car," Dedham Police Lt. Robert Nedder said. "When the other car pulled alongside him, he said the driver pointed a handgun at him and then drove off toward Norwood."
No injuries were reported from the accident, which Nedder described as "relatively gentle."
Nedder said it appeared Spinale had traveled directly from the scene of the accident to the McDonald's drive-through window, where he placed an order.
The pellet gun recovered in Spinale's car was a .177 caliber pistol powered by a carbon dioxide cartridge, Nedder said.
"Those guns can puncture the skin and really injure someone," Nedder said.
Daily News staff writer Patrick Anderson can be reached at 781-433-8336 or panderso@cnc.com.
