Bojangles gunman who served hot lead instead of fried chicken gets prison in SC

A Bojangles worker who served up hot lead bullets from his Taurus handgun at the drive-in window to two customers who had only wanted fried chicken has been sentenced to 16 years in South Carolina state prison.

Donte Simpson, 18, who fired his gun 17 times at two customers before and after he jumped out of a Bojangles drive-in window, was sentenced in Lexington County criminal court by Judge Debra McCaslin.

McCaslin pronounced sentence after Simpson, of West Columbia, pleaded guilty in her court late last week, the 11th Judicial Circuit solicitor’s office said in a press release. Deputy Solicitor Rhonda Patterson prosecuted the case.

Evidence against Simpson included video that captured the event and the 17 shell casings from his handgun.

Simpson’s lawyer, Ola Johnson, was not available for comment.

Meanwhile, two lawsuits against Bojangles brought by the two people who were shot in the incident continue in state civil court.

One lawsuit, by Clayanna Walker-Thomas, contends that she and her boyfriend, James Davis, had ordered Bojangles Chicken Supremes, paid $20.50 and were waiting at the drive-in window for their food when Simpson appeared and began firing at them.

“Plaintiff and her boyfriend were shot numerous times at close range through the drive-thru service window by Defendants’ employee, Donte Simpson,” her lawsuit said.

“Plaintiff, in fear for her life and limb, and while bleeding profusely from multiple gunshot wounds, managed to take control of the vehicle and drove to the nearest hospital for emergency medical treatment,” her lawsuit said.

As she and her boyfriend fled, Simpson jumped out of the window and fired at them, the solicitor’s office said.

The lawsuits allege that both Walker-Thomas and Davis, suffered “severe injuries” in the incident.

The lawsuits are still in their early stages. No trial date has been set. Available defendants’ answers to the lawsuits contend that Bojangles bears no responsibility for the shooting and that Simpson was acting outside his normal job duties when he shot Walker-Thomas and Davis.

An investigation in the case indicated there were “prior issues” between Walker-Thomas and Simpson, the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s office said.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers in the cases are Michael Parks and Jason Reynolds.

Defense lawyers in the cases include David Cobb of Charleston, and Henry McMaster Jr. and Christian Steigmaier, both of Columbia.

This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Bojangles gunman who served hot lead instead of fried chicken gets prison in SC."