High school senior says she was fired from car wash for fighting back when she was attacked on the job

WASHINGTON, N.C. (WITN/Gray News) — A 17-year-old high school senior in North Carolina said she was fired from her job at a car wash after she was attacked while on shift.

Ja’Neice Shamble said she believes she was wrongfully terminated after defending herself and other customers following an attack at her job at the Whistle Express Car Wash in Washington last week.

Shamble said a video shows the moments leading up to the attack on the evening of Sept. 14.

Shamble said she and a coworker were dancing when a woman sitting on her porch across the street thought they were mocking her and came to the car wash and began harassing them.

Shamble said the argument turned physical when the woman hit her three times, causing her to strike back in self-defense.

“I just stood there and kind of took it until she began putting her hands on me and started dragging me to the ground and stuff like that,” Shamble said.

Shamble also claimed her phone fell to the ground and the woman took off with it, prompting Shamble to chase after her to get it back before police were called.

“My knees were scraped up and stuff like that. I was just, you know, I was scared. I was crying,” Shamble said.

When police arrived, Shamble said they told her to go to the magistrate’s office to file charges because the alleged crime was a misdemeanor that was not committed in the presence of law enforcement.

Court documents obtained by WITN show Shamble filed charges against the woman on Sept. 15 for simple assault and injury to personal property.

That same day, Shamble said Whistle Express fired her for pursuing the woman rather than calling 911, though she said the business’ phones were not working at the time.

“I didn’t ask to be in that situation. I was on your guys’ premises, and you guys didn’t do anything to help me, save me, or any of the customers. Like I was there, basically saving other people and myself on your premises,” Shamble said.

Whistle Express responded to Shamble’s claims in a statement:

“Whistle Express is committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for our team members and the public. Workplace violence of any kind is contrary to our values and our policies. The individual referenced is no longer employed by the company. Because this concerns a personnel matter, we are not able to discuss the specifics of the decision, other than to confirm it was made following a review of the incident and in accordance with our established policies.”

Shamble said she believes a bystander called 911. She said officers told her the woman who attacked her is well known to police, and she hopes a conviction prevents the woman from hurting anyone else.

The woman is expected to appear in court Oct. 12.

Washington police said they could not comment on the incident but said citizens must go through a magistrate for certain misdemeanors not committed in an officer’s presence.