James Iannazzo arrested after alleged racist tirade over smoothie after he says his son had severe allergic reaction to it

[ad_1]

Fairfield, Conn. — A man who allegedly launched a racist tirade at a Robeks store after his son had an allergic reaction to a smoothie has been charged with felony bias and fired by Merrill Lynch. His lawyer denies that he is racist.

Fairfield police say James Iannazzo bought the smoothie on Sunday and took it home, where an ambulance was called and his son was taken to hospital.

Police say Iannazzo returned to the Robeks shortly after and confronted employees, yelling and demanding to know who made the smoothie. It contained peanuts, which caused her son’s allergic reaction.

Officials said when Robeks employees couldn’t tell, he became enraged and began swearing and throwing objects at workers. A drink he allegedly threw hit an employee’s shoulder, but the employee was not injured.

Police say Iannazzo then commented on an employee’s immigration status.

James Iannazzo Fairfield, Connecticut Police Department/WFSB-TV

Employees repeatedly asked him to leave but, according to police, he kept shouting and tried to open a door leading to an “employees only” area, but it was locked.

According to police, Iannazzo left before they arrived but then surrendered without incident.

High school student Charli Hill, an employee of Robeks, told CBS Hartford affiliate WFSB-TV that she took video of the incident. It went viral.

“He started calling it racial slurs. He threatened to kill us multiple times,” Hill said. “I understand and we’re sorry on behalf of Robeks for the way the smoothie was made, but that gives you absolutely no right to act like that.”

Gianna Miranda said she was the teenager who got hit with the smoothie.

“It was a bit scary, I’m not going to lie because I’m like, ‘I don’t know his intention or what he was going to do,'” Miranda said.

Police say Iannazzo told officers he was upset about his son’s severe allergic reaction.

According to the police, the employees reported that Iannazzo never mentioned a peanut allergy, but only asked them not to put peanut butter in the drink.

Iannazzo was charged with intimidation based on bigotry or bias, breach of the peace and criminal trespass.

Merrill Lynch, where Iannazzo was employed, released a statement to the WFSB saying it “does not condone behavior of this nature. We have immediately investigated and taken action. This individual is no longer employed at our company.”

Iannazzo’s attorney, Frank J. Riccio II, tweeted a statement saying that Iannazzo “wholeheartedly regrets” the incident, is not racist, and is only acting out of parental instinct, anger, and fear:

Statement regarding James Iannazzo: pic.twitter.com/VvOKkD96FM

— Frank J. Riccio II (@RiccioLaw) January 23, 2022

Iannazzo is due in court early next month.

New trends

Download our free app

For the latest news and analysis Download the free CBS News app

[ad_2]