For a clown, Ronald McDonald sure seems less than lenient in the case of a Florida man who was charged with a felony for using a water cup to drink soda at McDonald’s.
Flickr/Aranami
Police say Mark Abaire, 52, went into a Naples, Fla. McDonald’s and asked the cashier for a courtesy water cup.
Abaire allegedly then went to the fountain soda kiosk and filled his cup up with some delicious bubbly nectars to which he was not legally entitled.
The police report says a manager called in the infraction, telling authorities that he specifically told Abaire that the cup was just for water. Abaire proceeded to fill the cup up with soda anyway and then drank it outside the restaurant.
The manager attempted to get Abaire to pay for the soda — a $1 charge — in order to avoid any escalation of the situation. Abaire declined.
Because of previous petty theft crimes, Abaire’s theft for drinking the stolen soda was bumped up from a misdemeanor to a felony charge.
Abaire now faces up to five years and a $5,000 fine for his soda excursion.
Thank God they don’t keep the McFlurry machines out in the open. Abaire probably would have found himself beheaded in a town square with his bad luck.