An order for pizza reveals hostage situation

Charles Billi | WTSP-TV, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla.

Show Caption Hide Caption Mom escapes hostage situation by ordering pizza A Pizza Hut in Florida knew something was wrong when they received a pizza order from a regular customer with this message: '911 hostage help."

TAMPA — A woman is being credited for ending a hostage situation Tuesday by sending a message seeking help along with an order to a Pizza Hut in Florida.

The order included a comment that said a mother and her children were being held by a man.

The message was spotted by chef Alonia Hawk and was printed by store manager Candy Hamilton.

"It said 'Please help! Get 911 to me.' And she placed a pizza order and then down here it said, '911 hostage help,' " said Hamilton, of the Pizza Hut in Avon Park, Fla. Avon Park is 84 miles southeast of Tampa.

The victim, Cheryl Treadway, ordered the pizza online and typed her urgent plea in the comment box.

When Hawk saw it, she knew something was very wrong.

"I was kinda scared. I was scared for the person," said Hawk.

Hamilton recognized the victim's name and address as a frequent customer.

"We immediately called 911," Hamilton said.

Lt. Curtis Ludden, a hostage negotiator from the Highlands County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, was first to arrive at the victim's home. Treadway ran out holding one of her children, but two others stayed inside with Ethan Nickerson, Treadway's boyfriend. Investigators said he was armed with a knife and wouldn't answer the door.

"She comes running toward us but two kids are still in the house with a person who's on narcotics and you don't know how their mindset — with a knife — and we need to get them out of the house," said Ludden.

Treadway told deputies she had been arguing with Nickerson throughout the day.

Earlier Tuesday, Nickerson took her cellphone and demanded that he accompany Treadway to pick up her children from school. When the two returned with the children, Treadway was able to persuade Nickerson to relinquish her cellphone so she could order from Pizza Hut.

After placing the order and the plea for help, Nickerson reportedly took the cellphone back from Treadway.

Police got Nickerson, 26, out of the house, without incident 20 minutes later. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a weapon without intent to kill, battery, false imprisonment and obstructing justice by depriving communication to law enforcement.

According to a news release, Chief Deputy Mark Schrader "credits the quick thinking of Cheryl Treadway, in sending the text message for help," as well as the quick response of officers on the scene "in bringing this feasibly violent situation to a peaceful conclusion."