Chaos erupted at a Waffle House in Crossville when a man armed with a knife assaulted two employees and fled with cash, only to be found hiding in a hotel attic and plummeting through the ceiling in a series of dramatic falls. The saga concluded with the suspect, Jonathan William Beard, 31, of Harrimann, in custody facing multiple charges, according to local law enforcement.

The Crossville Police Department reported responding to an armed robbery at the Waffle House at 48 Executive Drive around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, where they found Beard had attacked staff members and stolen $388. WATE notes that after a tip led police to the Red Roof Inn, Beard was discovered in an attic, throwing money at officers and refusing commands. The standoff escalated with police utilizing pepper spray, bean bags, and a taser to extract him, leading to Beard crashing through the ceilings of three separate hotel rooms.

Amid the string of misdemeanors, an unfortunate misstep sent Beard tumbling through layers of drywall as hotel guests below likely looked on in disbelief. The damage wrought by Beard's unintended demolition was estimated to be around $30,000. WJHL reports that the recovered $381 was just shy of the amount he initially pilfered from the Waffle House.

Now facing serious legal repercussions, Beard's charges include aggravated robbery, burglary, two counts of aggravated assault, and four counts of vandalism. The incident prompted a collaborative effort between the Crossville Police Department, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Authorities are urging anyone with further information to contact the Crossville Police Department at 931-484-7231, as stated in a press release captured by WATE.