Pizza Hut App Saves Woman And Her Children From Knife-Wielding Boyfriend

Photo Cred WFLA

A Florida woman used the comments section of a Pizza Hut mobile order to alert authorities that she and her children were being held hostage.

I always knew Pizza Hut would one day be instrumental in saving somebody’s life and now we have a happy-ending hostage situation to help tell that story.

That story begins with Cheryl Treadway, a woman from a city 85 miles southeast of Tampa, who was arguing most of the day with her apparent dickhead of a boyfriend, Ethan Nickerson. Nickerson supposedly carried “a large knife” the day of the incident where he decided to keep his girlfriend and her kids on lockdown.

Here’s what the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office reported on the situation:

Pizza Order Reveals Hostage Situation

At approximately 3:40PM on Monday, May 4th, an online pizza order was received by the Pizza Hut in Avon Park. Under the comments section there was a message asking them to send help and call 911 as they were being held hostage. Pizza Hut employees recognized the order as from a frequent customer however the comments were out of the ordinary so they called the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the situation.

Deputies responded to the Pizza Hut and to the delivery location for the order. Upon arrival at the home, deputies were greeted by a female, Cheryl Treadway, carrying a small child in her arms. She related to deputies that her boyfriend, Ethan Nickerson, was in the home armed with a knife and Nickerson, Ethan Earl that her other two children were also in the home with him. After she was escorted to safety, deputies approached the home. Lieutenant Curtis Ludden began to speak with Mr. Nickerson through the closed door of the home. After about 20 minutes, Lieutenant Ludden was able to talk him into coming out peacefully. The other two children were then removed from the home, unharmed.

According to the arrest report, the couple had been arguing throughout the day while Mr. Nickerson carried a large knife. When Ms. Treadway attempted to leave the residence to pick up the children from school, Mr. Nickerson grabbed her and took her cell phone. He then accompanied Ms. Treadway to pick up the children. Upon returning home, Ms. Treadway eventually convinced Mr. Nickerson to let her use the cell phone to order a pizza which is when she sent the message to Pizza Hut. Immediately after the pizza order was placed, Mr. Nickerson took the cell phone back from her.

As a result of these events, Ethan Earl Nickerson, 26 years of age, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a weapon without intent to kill, battery, false imprisonment and obstructing justice by depriving communication to law enforcement.

Chief Deputy Mark Schrader credits the quick thinking of Cheryl Treadway, in sending the text message for help, and the efficient quick response from Lt. Curtis Ludden, Sgt Dave Stewart., Deputy Robert Livesay and Deputy Chad Douberley; in bringing this feasibly violent situation to a peaceful conclusion.