Posted on 01/21/2005 6:45:17 AM PST by Cagey
A hulking Boston bodyguard was arrested yesterday, accused of hurling a scalding Starbucks coffee at a meter maid who slapped a ticket on his illegally parked Hummer in the Back Bay.
The alleged attack unfolded about 8:30 a.m. when Christi Noviello, 44, was walking her Berkeley and Boylston streets beat and saw the black Hummer parked in a loading zone with a woman in the passenger seat.
``I am a nice meter maid,'' Noviello told the Herald yesterday in an exclusive interview. ``As a courtesy, I gave the lady a chance to move, but she pointed at the Starbucks and refused.''
Noviello wrote a $55 ticket, and slid it under the Hummer's windshield wiper - apparently enraging its driver, Francois Youhanna.
``He started yelling, `I don't accept this ticket!' He had a Venti-sized cup of black coffee in his hand, and he flung it right in my face,'' said Noviello, just hours after she was treated for first- and second-degree burns on her face and upper torso at New England Medical Center.
``I went down, I was panicking. It hurt so bad, I thought my face was falling off,'' she said. ``It was in my eyes, I was screaming.''
Starbucks employees rushed out of the store with wet cloths to soothe the burns, as cops arrested Youhanna for assault and battery with a deadly weapon, the hot coffee, which is a felony.
Youhanna insistedhe spilled the coffee on Noviello by mistake after slipping on some ice and falling, a story his female companion echoed. But witnesses said Youhanna - who is 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds - charged at the meter maid and was very close to her face when the coffee was thrown.
He told cops he owned Gavilier Security Patrol, a bodyguard service that lists his West Roxbury home as the company's address. When a relative was reached at Youhanna's home, the man hung up when asked to comment on the incident.
Youhanna, a native of Lebanon, pleaded not guilty yesterday in Boston Municipal Court and was released on personal recognizance on condition he stay out of trouble and away from the meter maid. A pretrial conference date was set for Feb. 23.
Last year, 16 meter maids were physically assaulted and another 48 were threatened or harassed, said Tom Tinlin, deputy commissioner of the Boston Transportation Department.
``It's appalling. This behavior should not be tolerated in a civilized world,'' Tinlin said yesterday. ``Christi is one of the nicest people I know. For her to be subjected to such behavior while performing your job is a disgrace.''
Better hurry, dude. I understand that Mayor Menino is seeking legislation to ban the high-caliber "Venti Assault Beverage".
Also, to be on the safe side, look for a coffee shop with a drive-through.
Have a great weekend! [;^))
One of my personal hobbies: Starbucks-baiting. Try doing what you described above but wearing a Bush button. ;)
Heck, in Texas we've got drive through beer barns. In Lousiana, they've got drive through daiquiri bars.
Until not too long ago in Texas, it was still legal to drive with open beer in your pickup. That's how they measured distances or time. Dallas to San Antonio, etc., was 2 sixpacks.
You don't want to drive to El Paso from Dallas. Your bladder wouldn't survive.
"Venti sized. Only a true snob would know what that means."
What does it mean?
I wouldn't know, I'm not a snob ;)
hehe
Sound like meter maid will be the proud new owner of a Hummer soon. Except she will probably sue Starbucks.
Call me Napoleon (5'4"), but I agree with your definition.
I doubt he is muslim with a first name of Francois(Francis).
Lebanon used to be half Christian until the Syrian instigated civil war in 75.
I don't know what the religious %'s in Lebanon are now.
My point was that Lebanon could hardly be considered 'civilized'. The question of whether or not he is a muslim cannot be ascertained from this article although you might be able to infer it from his actions.
That's pretty much true of any Silly Useless Vehicle driver in the city.
Those SUV owners who live in the country are less likely to be insufferable pricks.
He told cops he owned Gavilier Security Patrol,
Not any more.
LOL, Everybody back, give me room, I'm an Art History Major!
or Helen Thomas, or Donna Shalala, or Salma Hayek, or Shakira.
I had to list the last two to cleanse my palate of the first two.
FWIW, I can't find any phone listings or google any info on Gavilier Security Patrol.
Uncle Tonoose?
It's an Assault-Coffee...there should clearly be a law against such things. Who needs a 20 oz. coffee? Why couldn't he have just settled for a 10 or 12-ouncer?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.