Food Safety Inspection Officer says China’s Best is safe

Jim O’neil WITZ News Director contributed to this report.

Detective Lisa Miller with the Jasper Police Department issued a follow-up statement on the stabbing incident at China’s Best Restaurant in Jasper. 27 year old Isaias Salvador Mendoza was arrested in the early morning hours on Wednesday for the attack on a co-worker with a meat cleaver which left the kitchen in a blood contaminated state.

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The Dubois County Health Department was contacted to ensure the restaurant complied with all clean and safety standards during the clean-up.

Food Safety Inspection Officer Diane Knies responded to the scene after the victim had been transported to Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Emergency Room. According to Knies, since she didn’t witness the incident and was unable to tell what might have been contaminated, a thorough cleaning was done with the assistance of two employees at the restaurant.

“We basically threw out any food product we thought may have come in contact. Again I was not there to see the initial end result of it,” Knies explained. “We ended up throwing out a lot of food.”

Food Safety Inspection Officer Diane Knies on eating at China’s Best

When asked if the restaurant is cleaner from potential contaminants now than it has ever been, Knies smiled and nodded.

Miller says Mendoza will be formally charged in Dubois Circuit Court on Friday.  Based on conversations with the Prosecutor’s Office, he will face an Attempted Murder charge along with lesser charges stemming from the Tuesday attack.

The identity of the victim is still being withheld and no update has been given as to his condition.