Woman pleads guilty to assault for putting chemical in malts

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A woman who put a chemical cleaner in two malts at the Ferndale Dairy Queen pleaded guilty to second-degree assault.

Alexandra M. Dale was sentenced Thursday in Whatcom County Superior Court to 14 months in prison.

Two men who bought malts in February suffered chemical burns and one man was hospitalized for two days with ulcers on his esophagus.

Surveillance video showed Dale added deep-fat fryer cleaner to the malt dispenser.

Deputy Prosecutor Dona Bracke said the 43-year-old Ferndale woman never admitted a motive but had applied for a different job with the company and thought she had been given short shrift.