The manager of a McDonald’s in Buena Vista Township was doused with scalding coffee after a customer became enraged over an order, and the encounter was captured on video that helped police quickly identify a suspect. Local authorities say the manager suffered burns and that officers have submitted felony paperwork, while the woman who tossed the drink has not been taken into custody. Video of the incident shows the confrontation escalating and the cup being thrown as the customer walked away. Police have asked the public for help locating the suspect and are pursuing charges.
The altercation unfolded during a busy Tuesday morning at the restaurant on Dixie Highway, a few miles east of Saginaw. A customer who had placed an online order objected to being charged for two sandwiches and demanded a refund, according to the detective handling the case. Another patron recorded the closing minutes of the exchange at the front counter, and the clip captures the rising tension between the woman and the manager. When the manager tried to deescalate and move on, the conflict took a violent turn.
The customer had placed an online order and sought a refund for two sandwiches, Pahssen said. Another patron recorded the last two minutes of the interaction at the restaurant’s front counter.
The manager handed the customer a coffee and tried pacifying her, while the customer claimed she had been there for more than an hour, the footage shows. The conversation reaching an impasse, the manager told the customer to have a great day and turned to walk away.
In the video, the customer removes the lid from the cup and hurls the hot coffee toward the manager as she exits the building, yelling the exact words, “F**k you, b***h! Catch that hot-a** coffee!” The moment the liquid makes contact, the manager screams and can be seen grabbing for her back and arm. Police say the burns were minor but painful, affecting the manager’s back and left arm. The raw footage has been central to the investigation and shows the toss occurring just before the end of the clip.
Detective Russ Pahssen shared the video with the public and reported receiving numerous tips almost immediately after posting. He said the response was swift and that within minutes multiple tips led to the suspect’s identification. Despite that quick identification, officers were unable to locate the 48-year-old woman at the time of reporting. Law enforcement has provided the findings to the county prosecutor’s office for consideration of criminal charges.
Authorities have submitted paperwork requesting that the woman be charged with felonious assault, reflecting the serious nature of intentionally throwing scalding liquid at another person. The legal filing is based on the injuries suffered and the intentional act caught on camera, officials say. Because formal charges had not been filed at the time of the police update, the suspect’s name was not released. Investigators continue to follow leads and asked anyone with information to contact them directly.
The incident raises broader questions about workplace safety for employees at fast food locations who regularly encounter irate or unpredictable customers. Managers are often on the front lines trying to resolve complaints while keeping operations moving, and this episode highlights how quickly a dispute can become physical. Video evidence is becoming an increasingly common tool for documenting these encounters and for helping police identify suspects. The footage in this case provided the visual proof authorities needed to make a swift identification and move the case forward.
Witnesses who recorded or viewed the clip described a chaotic scene that lasted only minutes but left a staff member injured and shaken. The manager’s immediate reaction and the visible burn response made clear the physical harm caused by the tossed coffee. Police detail that medical attention was sought and that the burns were treated as minor but noteworthy injuries. Community members and customers who saw the footage expressed concern and called for accountability.
https://x.com/DefiantLs/status/1986559215989932281
The investigation remains active as officers work to locate the woman and the prosecutor’s office reviews the submitted charges. Law enforcement’s use of social media and public tips played a notable role in the rapid identification process. Meanwhile, the restaurant and its employees are dealing with the aftermath of an event that interrupted their shift and highlighted risks faced by service workers. The case will move through the legal system as authorities pursue appropriate charges based on the evidence gathered, with video serving as a key piece of that record.
The following clip of the encounter with redacted audio shows the moment the coffee is tossed near the 1:45 mark:
The customer removed the lid from the coffee cup, threw the contents at the manager, and yelled, “F**k you, b***h! Catch that hot-a** coffee!” as she exited the restaurant, according to of the encounter without redacted audio.
