FAIRFIELD, Ct. — A Connecticut man enraged by his son’s allergic reaction to peanuts is facing multiple charges after police said that he accosted employees of the restaurant where he purchased a smoothie.
James Iannazzo, 48, of Fairfield was charged with intimidation based on bigotry or bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass after he yelled obscenities at Robeks staffers and struck at least one worker with a hurled beverage, WFSB reported.
According to the Fairfield Daily Voice, Iannazzo made a purchase just after 1 p.m. Saturday and left the restaurant without incident. He then called 911 about 40 minutes later, requesting emergency services for a juvenile at his home suffering an allergic reaction.
Police said that Iannazzo then returned to Robeks and confronted employees, demanding to know who made the smoothie he purchased because it contained peanuts and triggered the child’s reaction and subsequent hospitalization, WFSB reported.
According to police, Iannazzo became irate after the employees could not provide him with an answer, and he began cursing, commenting on the employees’ immigration status and throwing things. He is accused of striking at least one employee in the right shoulder with a hurled beverage, but no injuries were reported, the TV station reported.
Despite repeated requests for Iannazzo to leave the restaurant, he instead attempted unsuccessfully to access an “Employees Only” area and left before police arrived, the Fairfield Daily Voice reported.
According to police, Iannazzo turned himself in a short while later without incident and told officers that his actions were fueled by his son’s medical emergency. Employees told police, however, that Iannazzo had asked there be no peanut butter in the drink but never mentioned a peanut allergy, the newspaper reported.
Iannazzo’s attorney, Frank J. Riccio II, issued the following statement via Twitter:
Statement regarding James Iannazzo: pic.twitter.com/VvOKkD96FM
— Frank J. Riccio II (@RiccioLaw) January 23, 2022
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