Man Sues McDonald’s After Wife’s Attack at Drive-Thru

A lawsuit has been filed against McDonald’s and two franchise owners by a man who claims employees did nothing as a vagrant attacked his wife at a drive-thru in early 2024.

Jose van Rangel alleges that on March 9, 2024, Charles Cornelius Green Jr., a known vagrant, approached their vehicle at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Los Angeles. According to the complaint, Green lunged at Rangel and began hitting him through the open driver’s side window. Employees observed the assault through the drive-thru window and via live video feeds, but reportedly did not call for help.

Following the initial attack, Green approached the passenger side and attempted to harm Rangel’s wife, Maria Vargas Luna. In an effort to protect her, Rangel exited the vehicle, leading to a struggle where Green allegedly punched him repeatedly and knocked him to the ground. Vargas Luna attempted to intervene, but Green is said to have pushed her down, resulting in her hitting her head on the asphalt.

The injuries Vargas Luna sustained were severe, including significant head trauma and permanent brain damage. She was taken to the hospital and placed on life support for several months, ultimately succumbing to her injuries, as outlined in the lawsuit.

Green was reportedly in the area loitering around the McDonald’s for about ten minutes before the incident, approaching cars and asking for money. Although employees saw him, there was no attempt to remove him or alert the authorities, according to the complaint.

Green has a history of visiting McDonald’s frequently. In fact, the Los Angeles Police Department has recorded around 132 calls related to incidents at that location, involving nearly 90 criminal or violent charges, many of which pertained to assault or disorderly conduct.

Interestingly, while the office of former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón stated that felony charges against Green would be dismissed, the misdemeanor charges would still proceed. In an email, an assistant district attorney explained that “the evidence does not establish evidence of an intentional act that caused Ms. Vargas’ fall.”

Following the incident, Green was released, and the case remains open. McDonald’s has not commented on the lawsuit as of yet.