Starbucks Beverages used as Weapons in Alleged SF Assaults
SAN FRANCISCO – According to San Francisco prosecutors, three unrelated cases in which scalding hot water or coffee was used as a weapon are being carefully examined.
Men in heated vexation were recently arrested in connection to unrelated assaults at two Starbucks stores and an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
The latest occurrence was on March 31 when a male reportedly dumped coffee on the leader of an AA meeting at 20th and Lexington streets located in the Mission district. Armando Rodriquez, 28, of San Francisco is the suspect. He was charged with felonious mayhem and assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury. He remains locked up, unless he can find a way to get someone to pay his $100,000 bail.
Assault weapon
The suspect has an ongoing bad rap for being in ‘hot water’- he’s known for disrupting AA meetings and insulting others, according to court documents, it appears this time he’s gone too far in showering others with his boiling rage. Prosecutors claim Rodriquez stood up and poured scalding coffee from its pot into his mug and threw it hard at the meeting leader’s chest. The leader sustained severe blisters.
Three days previous, a woman, 31, was enjoying herself at the Starbucks located on Geary Blvd. and 19th Ave. in the Outer Richmond district, when suddenly, a cup of coffee was hurled in her face. Marcel Watson, 33, of San Francisco was charged by police with one felony count of assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury. Watson sits not-so-pretty in custody on $50,000 bail.
Upon arrival to the Starbucks incident, the woman was crying in pain. She allegedly told police she’d been pulling a small suitcase while strolling through the store and requested that Watson move so as not to run over his feet. Reportedly, Watson responded with a charming “f*** you, I’m not going to move,” and yelled more expletives before the coffee hurl. He fled to a Muni bus and was arrested shortly thereafter.
Starbucks shop on Geary Blvd. where woman was assaulted
A witness who was in the Starbucks confirmed the woman’s story. Thankfully, the victim didn’t sustain any serious injuries.
Unfortunately, that was not the only heated liquid attack.
Over a month earlier, according to deputies, a transient poured scalding water on a consumer at a coffee shop on Fisherman’s Wharf, causing third degree burns.
The Feb. 20 attack allegedly happened after the consumer approached the transient for reportedly stealing boxes of tea. The transient, 44-year-old Michael Collins fled and stayed on the ‘down-low’ until March 30, when the victim saw him in front of 502 Jefferson St., deputies stated. Following Collins’ arrest, he was discharged due to insufficient evidence according to the D.A.’s office.
Maybe the morale of the story is that San Francisco residents should stick to iced beverages, or go to Peet’s Coffee.
Read more:
SF Examiner.com: Hot beverages reportedly weapon of choice in alleged assaults in San Francisco
Orange-Papers.org: AA member Armando Rodriquez in jail on 100k bail for assault of AA leader with hot coffee
