What began as a routine morning filled with family activities quickly transformed into a shocking encounter for one Washington family. This incident unfolded when a seemingly ordinary DoorDash delivery led to an unexpected and dangerous confrontation at their doorstep. Fortunately, due to the swift and courageous actions of a grandfather named Anthony Volino, the family was ultimately unharmed and able to navigate this frightening situation successfully.
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A Shocking Demands from the DoorDash Driver
On a typical Thursday morning, Anthony Volino from Vancouver, Washington, shared breakfast with his grandchildren when an unexpected visitor arrived at his daughter’s front door. The individual, claiming to be the same DoorDash driver who had delivered groceries the previous evening, demanded a cash tip despite the family having already provided a gratuity through the app. What started as a simple delivery request quickly escalated into a tense situation.
“He was pretty loud,” Volino recounted, adding that the driver emitted a strong smell of alcohol.
The grandfather recounted that the deliveryman aggressively insisted, “I want my tip.” Although Volino considered giving the driver a few dollars to de-escalate the situation, he ultimately decided to firmly demand that the man leave the premises instead.
Critical Insights into the Confrontation
The suspect, identified as Robert Delehant, reportedly refused to leave, even after Volino’s daughter clarified that the tip had already been paid digitally. In a bid to resolve the situation, Volino confronted Delehant outside, which resulted in a physical altercation. It was during this confrontation that Volino made a shocking discovery: a handgun was visibly tucked into the waistband of the man.
“He tripped up against my wife’s car,” Volino explained to reporters. “As he was on the ground…I leaned over and I cleared the handgun.”
The Vancouver Police Department responded to the scene promptly after receiving the report of the incident. Following their arrival, Delehant was arrested and now faces multiple charges, including felony harassment, DUI, and assault. Fortunately, no individuals were harmed during this alarming encounter, according to the reports.
A spokesperson from DoorDash emphasized the company’s strict zero-tolerance policy regarding harassment. In their statement, they asserted: “What happened was unacceptable, and the Dasher involved was immediately deactivated.
DoorDash’s Warning About Tipping and Delivery Delays
In 2023, DoorDash issued a critical warning to its customers regarding the potential consequences of not tipping their drivers, stating that it could lead to delays in their orders. The Shade Room previously reported that when customers attempted to place an order without leaving a tip, a notification would appear. This alert allegedly stated, “Orders with no tip might take longer to get delivered—are you sure you want to continue?”
This prompt served as a reminder to users that delivery drivers have the discretion to choose which orders to accept, and those lacking tips may remain unclaimed for extended periods. Meanwhile, customers still had the option to proceed without a tip or adjust the gratuity amount before finalizing their orders. This update followed a significant overhaul of the platform’s driver pay model in 2019, which transitioned away from a “tipped wage” structure to a base pay system that ensures Dashers receive 100% of customer tips.
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