A man is suing McDonald’s and two franchise holders, alleging that a vagrant attacked his wife at the drive-through in 2024 and employees failed to intervene.
Jose Juan Rangel claims that known vagrant Charles Cornelius Green Jr. attacked him and his wife at the McDonald’s drive-through in Los Angeles, California, on Mar. 9, 2024, according to the lawsuit obtained by Law & Crime. Green Jr. allegedly approached Rangel’s vehicle, lunged at him and struck him repeatedly through the open driver’s side window. Employees witnessed the assault via the drive-through window and on live footage but did not call law enforcement or initiate any emergency response, the lawsuit alleged.
Green Jr. then came over to the car’s passenger side and tried attacking Rangel’s wife, Maria Vargas Luna, according to the lawsuit. Rangel exited the vehicle to protect his wife, and Green Jr. allegedly wrestled with him, struck him multiple times and forced him onto the ground. When Vargas Luna saw the suspect attacking her spouse, she exited the vehicle to assist him, the lawsuit claims. Green Jr. then allegedly shoved Vargas Luna to the ground, and her head hit the asphalt.
She experienced serious head trauma, a cardiac event and permanent damage to her brain, the lawsuit alleged. Paramedics took Vargas Luna to the hospital, where she was put on life support for months before she eventually died from her wounds, according to the documents.
California husband sues McDonald’s after ‘vagrant’ kills his wife in drive-thru https://t.co/HXKtjHiDpn pic.twitter.com/FuN6vmY34f
— New York Post (@nypost) January 14, 2026
Green Jr. had allegedly been roaming around the McDonald’s and remained in the drive-through area for approximately 10 minutes before the attack. He approached multiple vehicles to solicit money, and employees saw him but made no effort to remove him or contact authorities, according to the lawsuit. (RELATED: Sole Survivor Of 2024 Shooting That Killed Entire Family Dies One Week After Starting College)
Green Jr. allegedly had a history of frequenting the McDonald’s location. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) answered around 132 service calls at the location, with officers facing 90 criminal or violent cases, the lawsuit alleged. Of these 90 criminal or violent incidents, 73 were tied to assault, battery or disturbance, according to the documents.
The office of former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon moved to dismiss a felony charge against Green Jr. while going forward with the lesser charge of misdemeanor battery, FOX 11 reported in June 2024.
“The evidence does not establish proof of an intentional act that resulted in Ms. Vargas’ fall,” the Assistant District Attorney said in an emailed statement.
The suspect was released from jail on his own recognizance, and the case is still unresolved, according to the New York Post.
The Daily Caller contacted McDonald’s, who did not immediately comment on the lawsuit.