A DoorDash delivery driver was arrested in Vancouver, Washington, last month after a confrontation over a tip escalated into a physical struggle involving a firearm, as reported [1] by the Western Journal.
According to law enforcement and local news reports, the incident began after Anthony Volino’s daughter placed a grocery order worth about $100, paid using a SNAP card. The groceries were delivered to their home the previous night without issue.
The next morning, Volino said his family was eating breakfast when a loud knock startled them. His daughter answered the door and was met by Robert Delehant, 59, who identified himself as the DoorDash driver from the prior night.
“She went to the door, answered the door, and he introduced himself as the DoorDash driver from the night before and she goes, ‘OK, did I forget anything?’” Volino told KGW-TV. The driver reportedly demanded a tip in cash. Volino said he immediately smelled alcohol on the man.
“For a split second, I thought about giving the guy a couple of dollars, but when he again said, ‘I want my tip,’ that’s when I said, ‘Whoa, whoa.’ I said, ‘You need to leave,’” Volino told reporters.
Volino’s daughter explained that tips could not be included with a SNAP payment but said she would leave a tip online. However, according to Volino, Delehant stepped into the doorway, prompting a physical altercation as Volino blocked him.
During the struggle, Volino realized the man was armed. “He stepped to the right. I stepped to the left, and I reached behind him, and I felt the steel in his waistband, and as soon as I felt the gun in his waistband, my heart just sank,” he said.
Volino described it as a life-or-death moment. “The only thing on my mind was I have to get this gun away from him. I’m in a struggle for my life at this point. That’s what I’m thinking. It’s me or him.”
Security footage from the home captured the confrontation. Both men called 911 after the incident ended.
“I could have been shot. My kids could have been shot. If he would have got his hands on that gun, somebody could have gotten hurt,” Volino added. “This is for a job that they’re already paid for. It’s the customer’s decision whether to tip or not.”
Police arrested Delehant and charged him with DUI, harassment, and assault. DoorDash confirmed that it has cut ties with the driver following the incident.