A quiet evening, a shared meal anticipated – for Jose Juan Rangel and his wife, Maria Vargas Luna, it turned into a nightmare unfolding within the brightly lit confines of a McDonald’s drive-thru. What should have been a simple stop for food became the scene of a brutal attack, a tragedy compounded by accusations of inaction.
In March 2024, while waiting in line at a Boyle Heights restaurant, a man identified as a known vagrant approached their vehicle. The encounter quickly escalated into violence, with the man allegedly assaulting Rangel through the driver’s side window. Maria, partially blind but fiercely protective, attempted to intervene.
The complaint details a horrifying sequence: Maria was pushed to the ground, suffering devastating head trauma. The fall, and the initial assault, would ultimately prove fatal. Rangel’s family shared their anguish, describing a loving partnership of thirty years shattered in moments.
Rangel is now pursuing legal action against McDonald’s, alleging that employees witnessed the escalating danger and failed to call for help. For at least ten minutes, the man had been observed loitering and approaching cars, yet no intervention occurred as the attack unfolded.
The lawsuit claims a profound negligence on the part of McDonald’s Corp., its California and USA branches, and the franchise operators. It asserts that visible warning signs demanded protective action, action that was tragically absent. This failure, the suit argues, directly contributed to Maria’s injuries and death.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. Rangel’s legal team points to a documented history of police calls to the location, detailing prior instances of violent and criminal behavior, including assault and trespassing. This established pattern, they contend, should have alerted McDonald’s to the inherent risk.
The initial charges against the alleged attacker, Charles Cornelius Green Jr., were later reduced, with prosecutors citing surveillance footage that suggested Maria’s fall was accidental. Green was released, leaving the family grappling with not only grief but also a sense of injustice.
Veronica Rangel, the couple’s daughter, spoke of her father’s devastation, his feeling of guilt and loss. Maria, she explained, had given her life defending him, and he now faces a future irrevocably altered by the events of that night. The lawsuit seeks both compensatory and other damages, a pursuit of accountability in the wake of unimaginable loss.
The case raises difficult questions about responsibility and the duty of care owed to customers. It’s a story of a loving marriage, a senseless act of violence, and a family’s desperate search for answers and justice.
