A woman who was hit in the head with a glass bottle while shopping at Whole Foods claims in a lawsuit that the Midtown store failed to keep customers safe.
Authorities say Cassidy Arkin, 49, was shopping for groceries at a Sixth Avenue supermarket in October when she was blindsided by a rampaging maniac.
Michael Howell, 33, is alleged to have attacked a 24-year-old man with a glass bottle outside the store, then went inside to get another bottle and struck Arkin with it in front of the food section. .
The man then fled to a nearby subway and took a train one stop to Rockefeller Center, where he shook a 55-year-old passenger who was holding another bottle, authorities said.
Arkin suffered severe injuries, including a severed earlobe and a stapler in his scalp, and had broken glass pulled from his body.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Manhattan Supreme Court, she alleges that Whole Foods failed to properly hire, supervise and train employees tasked with protecting shoppers.
The Harlem-based producer and director, who is seeking unspecified damages, said he suffered permanent physical damage and emotional distress after the attack.
Howell, who has eight crimes, is being held at Rikers Island on assault charges.
The criminal case is pending.
Arkin and her attorney declined to comment.
Whole Foods did not respond to messages seeking comment.
