Dunkin Donuts employee who fatally punched customer who used racist slur sentenced

Stay connected via Google News

Follow us for the latest updates from Unheard Voices

A Florida Dunkin Donuts employee accused of fatally punching a customer who used a racist slur against him pleaded guilty to felony battery and was sentenced to two years of house arrest.

Florida Dunkin Donuts employee sentenced

A Tampa judge on Monday also ordered 27-year-old Corey Pujols to complete 200 hours of community service and attend an anger management course.

Incident

Vonelle Cook was enraged when he entered the Florida Dunkin Donuts store last May and began yelling about customer service, authorities said. When Pujols, who is Black, asked him to leave, Cook called him a racial slur, and Pujols punched him.

Corey Pujols
(Photo Credit: TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT)

Cook, 77, fell to the floor and knocked his head. He died three days later.

Pujols was initially charged with manslaughter and was eventually offered a plea after prosecutors considered the “totality of the circumstances,” including Pujols’ youth, his lack of criminal history and the fact that he did not intend to cause Cook’s death.

According to court records obtained by CBS News, Cook was a regular customer who attempted to order coffee at the drive-thru on May 4,  2021. But the employees had trouble hearing him, and he began admonishing them for their poor customer service. He was asked to leave, but he parked his car and went inside the store.

When Cook entered the store, Pujols asked a coworker to call police. Prosecutors said Cook began arguing with Pujols. Once Cook called Pujols  the racial slur, Pujols walked around the counter and told him not to say that again. When he repeated it, Pujols hit him in the jaw and Cook fell to the floor.

An autopsy concluded he suffered a skull fracture and brain contusions.