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Florida inmate walks away from work crew, buys sweet tea, officials say

INTERLACHEN, Fla. — A Florida Department of Corrections inmate walked away from a work crew Monday morning to get some sweet tea.

Deputies said Taylor Fender, 23, of Okaloosa County, was serving a five-year prison sentence at the Putnam Corrections Institute before this incident.

According to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, the crew was working at State Road 20 and County Road 315 when Fender strolled away and into a nearby Family Dollar, where he bought some clothes.

According to officials, an "observant resident" saw Fender walk into the store and dialed 911.

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Fender allegedly then walked down the road and into Poppi's Restaurant. At the same time, officials said a deputy just so happened to be pulling into the restaurant's parking lot for lunch.

As the deputy entered the restaurant, a warning to be on the lookout for a suspect with Fender's description was released by dispatchers, deputies said.

The sheriff's office tweeted that, after ordering and paying for a cup of sweet tea, Fender was arrested and taken into custody.

The sweet tea was reportedly left on the counter of the restaurant.