Man Arrested After Video Showed Him Throwing Hot Coffee at McDonald’s Worker

Zachary Stieber
By Zachary Stieber
March 28, 2019US News
share
Man Arrested After Video Showed Him Throwing Hot Coffee at McDonald’s Worker
A McDonald's sign in a file photo. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

A 54-year-old Cleveland man was arrested after surveillance footage captured the moment he hurled two hot coffees at a Mcdonald’s worker.

The situation took place on Feb. 19 but the video surveillance was just made public.

The camera, situated above the drive-thru window at the Clark Avenue McDonald’s, shows a man said to be Joseph Deluca throwing the coffee at an employee, who was rushed to the hospital and suffered first-degree burns.

Prosecutors said DeLuca became enraged when the worker asked to see his receipt.

“What is troubling with a case like this is you have someone who is going to work just to do her job, to pay her bills, to make ends meet,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Erin Stone told Fox 8. “She asks to see his receipt and this angers him immensely and he throws two cups of hot coffee in her face.”

Deluca was arrested and indicted earlier in March and is due in court in April while the victim, who has not been named, is still recovering at home.

If convicted of both charges of felonious assault, Deluca could receive up to 16 years in prison.

McDonald’s did not issue a statement regarding what happened.

Man Shares Meal With Elderly Lady

When a young man named Eric Haralson was eating at a local McDonald’s one day, he witnessed a group of teens blow off an elderly woman’s attempts at conversation.

While the teens didn’t mock or harass the woman, her polite questions to start up a conversation were shut down fairly quickly. Instead of engaging with her, the group made it clear that they weren’t there to entertain someone who just seemed a little lonely.

“One of the kids had a man bun and she was very intrigued by it and asked what made him come up with that hairstyle,” Haralson later told Good Morning America. “They didn’t take to her that much … she said, ‘What? did I scare them off?’ I said, ‘I guess you did.’”

After witnessing that, Haralson knew he could do better. So when she asked if she could sit with him, he warmly welcomed her to share his table—and another customer couldn’t help but take a surreptitious photo when they saw how sweet the interaction was.

Eric Haralson 发布于 2014年7月9日周三

“Shout out to this guy!” the fellow diner, a local teacher named Amanda Craft, wrote in a caption of the photo on social media.

“This elderly lady came up to him and asked if she could sit with him. Without hesitation, this guy said, ‘Of course.’ My friends and I watched him introduce himself and shake her hand. They talked and laughed together like they were friends.”

The moment went viral as social media users across the globe expressed their joy at the power of kindness. The photo Craft had snapped, which showed 28-year-old Haralson smiling and laughing as he chatted with the woman. It is plain to see that the pair look past their typical skin-deep stereotypes and forge a true friendship.

Many users had commented about how wonderful it was to see something like this happening, and that the world needed more of this sweet exchange. Others called it a random act of kindness, and that it should be more frequent. A few were quick to share their own experiences with similar situations. The post was flooded with feel-good comments as well as praise for the man, who was more than happy to welcome a conversation with an elderly woman who needed someone to talk to.

The woman, who introduced herself to Haralson as Jan, didn’t give any indication that she had a significant other or children.

She seemed delighted to hear about his own girlfriend and children, though, he told “Good Morning America,” her obvious interest in his life and the people who made him happy showed that maybe all she needed was someone to talk to.

It was refreshing to see such a kind exchange between two strangers—the moment seemed to touch a bunch of people because of the sheer kindness that was displayed. It’s not easy to come by, and when it does, it becomes a moment that lives with everyone. “I think that’s what people are hungry to see is the kindness of others,” Craft said to “Good Morning America.”

The two talked for about 45 minutes before they exchanged numbers, hoping to stay in contact later on. The exchange gave insight as to the kind of person Jan was, and after the encounter, Haralson said that he could feel that she was a firecracker, according to “Good Morning America.” “She will tell you exactly how she feels and has no problem being outgoing.”

Epoch Times reporter Cat Bolton contributed to this report.
ntd newsletter icon
Sign up for NTD Daily
What you need to know, summarized in one email.
Stay informed with accurate news you can trust.
By registering for the newsletter, you agree to the Privacy Policy.
Comments