A woman is fighting for her life after an attack at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Boyle Heights earlier this year.
The altercation occurred on March 9 around 9:30 a.m. at the intersection of N. Soto Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue. The family said Jose Juan Rangel Hernandez, 74, and his wife Maia Guadalupe Vargas Luna, 58, stopped at McDonald’s to get food before his dialysis treatment.
While they were in the drive-thru, an aggressive panhandler approached the couple and began attacking Rangel-Hernandez. The 74-year-old tried to defend himself but was tackled to the ground before being beaten several times.
After hearing the commotion, Vargas-Luna headed toward the commotion to help her husband. The suspect punched her, causing her head to hit the ground, according to the family.
Paramedics transported Vargas-Luna to the hospital, but she suffered a heart attack while crossing it. She eventually recovered enough for doctors to send her home. However, a few days later, she had a seizure and was rushed to hospital again. Doctors have declared her brain dead and plan to remove her from life support soon.
The man who attacked the couple was released March 28 after investigators determined the homeless man accidentally hit her. They determined Vargas had tripped and fallen to the ground. For this reason, the Los Angeles District Attorney dropped the criminal charges and charged the man with a misdemeanor.
“This guy should be brought to justice,” said his daughter Samantha Rangel. “This guy is out on the street. He’s probably causing more crime in other families, hurting more people. We’re hurting here. My mother is about to pass away and we’ll never be able to talk to her. I won’t will never see again. I just don’t know what to do, I’m just here in the hospital hoping she comes back to us.