The phrase “Don’t Mess with Texas” took on new life recently when an employee at a burger restaurant became an internet sensation for defending against an alleged assailant using a fry basket and a trash can.

The incident, captured on video by a customer, quickly went viral. The confrontation unfolded at a Whataburger in Paris, Texas, and was shared widely across social media platforms.

Billy Jones, a witness, recounted to Fox News affiliate KDFW that he was dining when a man, dressed entirely in black, suddenly entered the establishment and attacked a staff member.

A Texas Whataburger employee managed to repel the alleged attacker with what was at hand—a trash can and a fry basket. (Credit: Billy Jones via KDFW)

As Jones described, one of the fast-food workers swiftly reacted by striking the man with a wire fry basket, sending him to the floor.

In a subsequent move, Jones began filming as the restaurant manager joined in, using a trash can to repeatedly hit the suspect, ensuring the safety of everyone present.

The employee repeatedly smacked the alleged attacker with the trash can as other employees called for help. (Billy Jones )

In the viral video, employees can be heard shouting for someone to press the panic button. The suspect eventually fled the building as workers called 911. According to police, Anthony William Newhuis, 41, of Spring, Texas, was arrested following the incident.

Cars wait in the drive-thru line at a Whataburger. (iStock)

He was found in the back parking lot of the burger joint bleeding from his head, according to a press release from the Paris Police Department. After receiving the details of the incident, Newhuis was arrested and charged with assault resulting in bodily injury and public intoxication.

He was taken to a medical facility for treatment of his injury and then placed in jail. While in jail, police said, Newhuis flooded the cells intentionally and was subsequently charged with criminal mischief less than $750.

“At Whataburger, guest and employee security are a top priority. We take incidents such as this seriously and are fully cooperating with authorities,” a spokesperson for the company told Fox News Digital.

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