A New Jersey man who argued with Burger King employees for not wearing a mask came back later in the day and choked one of the employees, officials said on Monday.
The attack occurred shortly after 4 pm on March 27 at the fast food restaurant on Route 23 in Wayne, according to captain Dan Daly of the city police.
David Siversten, 47, of Wayne, went into the business, approached the employee, “put both hands around her neck and started strangling her,” said Daly in a statement.
“The attack ended only when another employee intervened,” said Daly. The victim complained of pain but refused transportation to the hospital, he added.
Siversten ran before the police arrived, Daly said. Police later found him sitting in a garage near Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Daly said.
“When the policeman approached, the suspect came towards him saying, ‘You got me,'” said Daly. “The suspect was agitated and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.”
Daly said Siversten was the same man who entered Burger King earlier that day and argued with restaurant staff about not wearing a mask.
“He also ran away from the restaurant before the police arrived in that incident,” said Daly.
Police officers brought Siversten back to the restaurant after the choking incident and the worker identified him as the man who assaulted her, Daly said.
Siversten was accused of aggravated assault. During processing, he allegedly stopped cooperating and “was injured by intentionally hitting his head on the steel bench he was handcuffed to,” said Daly.
Daly said Siversten was taken to a local hospital, treated and taken to Passaic County Jail to await a first instance hearing.
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Anthony G. Attrino can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. To think NJ.com on Facebook.