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.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT A SWEET TEA Sept. 24, 2018 - Taylor Fender, 23, of Okaloosa County, a Florida Department of Corrections inmate walked away from a work crew Monday morning in Interlachen, purchased clothes and stopped at a local restaurant for a sweet tea. pic.twitter.com/HnzyDg7qOR
— Putnam County (Fla.) SO (@PutnamCountySO) September 24, 2018
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