A California man has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against McDonald's after his wife was fatally attacked by a 'vagrant' while they were in a drive-thru lane. Jose Juan Rangel, whose wife Maria Vargas Luna died in March 2024, alleges negligence and failure to protect customers.
According to the complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, the assailant, Charles Cornelius Green Jr., was allowed to approach vehicles for up to 10 minutes, soliciting money before attacking Rangel. Employees reportedly watched the assault on live video feeds but did not call 911 or activate emergency response.
Luna was pushed to the ground during the attack, suffering severe head trauma that led to cardiac arrest and permanent brain damage. She died months later after being on life support. Rangel is seeking unspecified damages from McDonald's Corp. and two franchise holders.
The lawsuit notes that the Los Angeles Police Department had responded to 132 calls at that McDonald's location in the four years prior, including assaults and robberies. The franchise owner expressed condolences but stated they do not believe the facts support the claims.
Green was initially charged with battery but the felony charge was dropped, and he is no longer in custody. Luna's stepdaughter criticised the lack of justice, stating, 'Where's the justice? There was no justice at all.'
