A feisty freeloader was feasting and imbibing at an eatery in New York’s Times Square — and then allegedly started clawing at a manager who tried to stop her from dashing out without squaring away her steep tab. Amerika Knowles was chowing down at Dallas BBQ in the heart of Manhattan’s Times Square along West 42nd Street on the last Saturday in April. The woman – whose age is listed in court records as both 27 and 34 – is said to have ordered a meal and then washed it down with three Hennesy shots. According to Dallas BBQ’s menu, a shot of Hennesy ranges from $17 (for Hennessy VS) to $22 (for Hennessy XO). After dining on the food and downing the spirits, Ms. Knowles allegedly tried to dash out.“She didn’t want to pay,” a manager at the establishment, who asked to not give his name, told the Sun. “She tried to leave without paying.”He noted that it wasn’t one manager but two who intervened. Their blocking Ms. Knowles from reaching the door set the accused barbecue bandit into attack mode, police say. She allegedly slapped one of the managers on the arm and then scratched him, drawing blood.“They call the police and they came and they take her away,” the fellow manager added.The wounded worker has since returned to work after missing a couple days to recover from the clash. Ms. Knowles was subsequently charged with assault, theft of services, and harassment, according to the criminal complaint. A day later while detained at Midtown South’s Precinct lockup, Ms.Knowles allegedly spat in a female cop’s face, and kicked her left knee. That earned her an additional assault charge. Following her arraignment on Monday, Ms. Knowles, a beneficiary of New York’s controversial Bail Reform Act, was ultimately released on $1 bail.Reached by the Sun and asked about the merit of the allegations and his client’s alleged unruly manners, Ms. Knowles’ defense attorney confirmed he repped her but told the Sun, “I’m not going to have this interview.”It wasn’t the first time Ms. Knowles was busted for trying to sneak a hearty meal por gratis.The Sun found that she was nabbed for a dustup on the Upper East Side back on April 1 where she was charged with assault and criminal obstruction of breathing.In March alone — March 1 and March 18 — Knowles allegedly pulled the same eat and sneak-off stunt three times at Manhattan establishments. March 5 marked another low point. Knowles was busted – albeit less combative – after wining and dining at BSTRO 38, a Cuban restaurant a few blocks below Times Square in the Garment District. There, the Sun learned she had a wholesome feast. “She was very nice in the beginning,” said the eatery staffer who served her that night. The worker, who also asked to remain anonymous, described Ms. Knowles as “very amicable” and acted “like a regular person”. He said she ordered four drinks, an appetizer, an entrée, and dessert. Then the bill came. “When it was time to pay, like everything just became different,” he said. “You know she put on this crazy act. “That’s when we called the police.”Unlike the recent alleged booze-fueled scratching attack at Dallas BBQ, the BSTRO 38 manager said that Knowles didn’t get physical with anyone in the restaurant. “Nobody got hurt over here,” he confirmed. She was taken away by responding police officers.In that case, the woman was slapped with a simple theft of services charge, court records show. Upon learning that the woman was caught more than a month later attempting to bilk another restaurant for free grub, the manager was stunned. “That’s crazy,” he said.
