Shopper says store manager tried to push her off motorized scooter

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — An 81-year-old woman said a dispute at a grocery store checkout turned physical and now she wants the store manager punished.

The woman told Channel 2's Carl Willis that the incident started over a $40 mistake.

Sara Bridges said a store manager ordered her out of the Food Depot in Riverdale and out of the store's motorized cart as she waited near the entrance for police to help her get a refund.

“He grabbed the front of the cart. He was going to dump me off backwards,  and someone pulled him away," Bridges said. "He was heartless, and he needs to be punished for what he did."

The incident happened July 2. Bridges said she was trying to pay for her groceries but couldn't read the display on the card machine due to her glaucoma.

Bridges said the cash back button was pressed by mistake and the cashier told her she couldn't put the money back on her card. The store manager said the same.

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"I hadn't done anything wrong. All they had to do was void that ticket out, and take the money back and re-ring it, which they ended up doing," Bridges said.

But only after an argument and police intervention did the store take care of the problem. Bridges said she fell during the confrontation and told Willis that the fall could have been devastating for her due to her medical condition.

Willis spoke with the Food Depot president. He told Willis that he had viewed video of the incident and claimed the manager was just trying to move Bridges so that customers could get to the shopping carts.

But he said he has since contacted Bridges and offered her gift certificates for free groceries.

Bridges told Willis that all she wants is the manager to be held accountable.

"Something needs to be done with people who work with the public and they have no feelings for handicapped or people or anybody," Bridges said.

In the end, Bridges got her money back and was only shaken up, but said she is sharing her story for a reason.

"I don't want to see this happen to anyone else. It could have been worse for me, but God was with me," Bridges said.

The Food Depot president said he wants Bridges back as a customer and has had employees trained on how to handle this kind of transaction.

He did not say that anyone would be disciplined.

Cox Media Group