Hero Rescues Fast Food Worker From Drunken Attack
Posted October 30, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
As a defence lawyer, Peter Brauti is used to defending people for a living. But he was working pro bono when he came to the aid of an elderly McDonald’s worker who was being harassed and threatened by a man who appeared to be severely inebriated early Sunday.
What resulted was worse than the longest day in court for the burly attorney. In the end, the man who was trying to take a bite out of crime, ended up losing a fingertip after the suspect turned the tables and chomped down on his hand as though it were a steaming Big Mac.
“There was a person who became verbally assaultive and threatening to an elderly McDonald’s employee,” Brauti recalled, his finger heavily bandaged. “At that point I didn’t know if he had a knife or what he had and I grabbed him from behind and took him to the ground, eventually pushed him up against the wall and threw him out of the restaurant.”
That should have been the end, but it wasn’t. The man returned a short while later and the wrestling match continued. Once again, the 6’3″, 230-pound lawyer got the best of the physical confrontation and was in the process of tossing the trouble-maker out for a second time when the suspect bit him.
“I took him out of the restaurant again, and as I wrapped him up, pulling him out of the restaurant, he bit down on my hand. Unfortunately for me I ended up losing a bit of the tip of my finger.”
Police are hoping security video in the store will help them nab the suspect, who took off in a waiting car that had two other men inside.
“Looking back at the restaurant, people gave me a pretty good ovation and shook my hand even as it was bleeding so they were pretty appreciative,” Brauti concludes.
If police catch up to the man responsible, chances are he’ll need a lawyer. But you can be sure Brauti won’t be volunteering his services.
