Woman says man pulled gun on her, 3-year-old at Jacksonville drive-thru; man disputes claim

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A woman is shaken-up after she said a man pulled a gun on her and her 3-year-old daughter in a Hardee’s drive-through.

But the man told News4Jax her account is different than his, saying he never pointed a gun.

The incident happened Saturday morning off Baymeadows Road, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

The man was asked to leave the Hardee’s after he walked in without a mask, according to the police report. He then went to the drive-through where the woman said she and her daughter came face to face with his gun.

The woman, Ava, who did not want to reveal her identity, said she was waiting in line when he pulled up behind her and started using his car horn.

“Before I know it he’s with his window down he said, ‘You need to quit talking all that s*** with your kid in the car.’ And he pointed his gun at me,” Ava told News4Jax.

Ava said the man pointed the gun at her a second time, yelled and then drove off.

“I am still in shock to this day because it’s never happened to me. I was born and raised here in Jacksonville and I’ve never had an issue. I’ve never had anyone point gun at me,” she said.

Hardee’s surveillance captured a photo of the car, according to Ava.

Samuel Clermont said that’s his car and he was with his 1-year-old son. He reached out to News4Jax after the original version of this article was published. He shared his account of the incident.

“The woman’s car was in front of me. Of course, there were a couple cars in the line, as well. She was waiting to go through the drive-through, but she was actually going the wrong way in to get in line to be in the drive-through, so I gave her a courtesy tap, or a courtesy honk, just to make sure she could move a little bit so I could actually go around her and actually make a U-turn to go back in the drive-through line the right way. When I did that, all h*** broke loose,” he said.

He claims Ava began cursing at him. When asked whether he ever pointed a gun at her, he said no.

“No, never. I would never do that with my son in the back seat,” Clermont said.

Clermont said he plans to go down to JSO first thing Tuesday morning to share his side of the story.

Ava said she is glad police will know who the man is.


About the Author:

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.