Man Arrested for Impersonating Ice Officer and Assaulting McDonald’s Employee

A man was arrested last week after he assaulted a McDonald’s employee in La Jolla, California, while falsely claiming to be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.

Joshua Cobb, 44, entered the McDonald’s on Nobel Drive around noon on Thursday and put the restaurant manager in a headlock. This incident has been reported by the San Diego Police Department.

According to Lt. Cesar Jimenez, Cobb accused the manager, who is Hispanic, of being an illegal immigrant. He then allegedly tried to lead the manager out of the restaurant under the pretense of making an arrest, but other staff members intervened and forced him to release the manager.

Police were able to identify and apprehend Cobb later. He now faces charges for impersonating a law enforcement officer and assault.

Daniel Martinez, the McDonald’s manager, shared his experience, stating, “He grabbed me from behind and around the neck pretty hard.” He noted that several of his colleagues jumped in to help him, but Cobb still managed to punch him in the side during the scuffle.

Employees at the McDonald’s expressed disbelief over Cobb’s claim of being an ICE agent, since he regularly visited the restaurant, only ordered sodas, and often left a mess behind.

In a statement, Cobb was heard saying, “Why do you think I’m going to get punched twice in the face by some illegal immigrant while being arrested by ICE?”

Jimenez mentioned there are various videos of the incident circulating online, stressing the seriousness of impersonating law enforcement. “It’s a crime, and the San Diego Police Department takes such matters very seriously,” he remarked.

Fortunately, Martinez reported no injuries from the encounter, adding that his priority was to protect his team during the chaotic moment.