Santa Maria Man Arrested After Brick Attack on Chick‑fil‑A Employee

A female Chick‑fil‑A employee was struck in the back of the head with a large brick and knocked to the ground outside the restaurant at 605 E. Betteravia Road around 11:58 a.m. on March 2, then transported by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment, Santa Maria police said.

Police identified the suspect as 31‑year‑old Clayton Peavey, a Santa Maria resident. Officers say Peavey fled the immediate scene after the assault but was located a short time later in nearby agricultural fields and taken into custody without incident. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and later booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail.

The Santa Maria Police Department provided the initial details of the response and said investigators are continuing to develop the case. “Anyone who witnessed the incident is urged to contact the Santa Maria Police Department at (805) 928‑3871 ext. 2177,” the department has asked.

According to the police account, the sequence began when officers were notified outside the Chick‑fil‑A at the corner of Betteravia Road and S. College Drive. “At approximately 11:58 a.m., officers were flagged down near Chick‑fil‑A, located at 605 E Betteravia, regarding an employee who had been assaulted,” the initial investigation summary states. Emergency responders arrived and an ambulance transported the injured employee to an area hospital.

Local outlets reporting the incident — including KSBY, Edhat and the Santa Maria Times — corroborated the address and timing, noting the assault occurred shortly before noon and that officers located Peavey in the agricultural fields behind the commercial corridor. CalCoastNews reported the arrest and subsequent booking into the Santa Barbara County Jail on March 3.

Several key details remain unreported by police and media accounts. No sources have released the victim’s name, age or current medical condition beyond that she was taken for evaluation and treatment. Authorities have not provided a stated motive, disclosed whether surveillance footage exists, or released formal comments from Chick‑fil‑A corporate or the store manager about the incident.

Santa Maria police continue to investigate and are asking anyone with information or who may have witnessed the assault at the Chick‑fil‑A location at 605 E. Betteravia Road to contact investigators at (805) 928‑3871, ext. 2177.