San Diego man gets 1 year for throwing scalding water at Starbucks worker [Updated]

A 58-year-old San Diego man was sentenced Wednesday to a year in jail after being convicted of throwing scalding water at a Starbucks employee when she told him to stop consuming the condiments.

Dennis Christopher Lee was convicted of misdemeanor assault and battery after a two-day, judge-only trial in San Diego County Superior Court. The employee suffered second-degree burns on her neck and arms.

Lee allegedly became enraged when, after giving him a free cup of hot water, the employee, a woman in her early 20s, told him that the condiments were for paying customers only. The incident occurred at 5:45 a.m. June 16 at the Starbucks at Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego.

[Updated at 4:55pm: During the trial, Lee testified that he was homeless. He rejected probation and preferred instead to be sent to jail.]

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-- Tony Perry in San Diego