Florida Dunkin’ Employee Sentenced to House Arrest for Fatally Punching Customer Over Racial Slur

After a 77-year-old man used a racial slur at a Tampa Dunkin’ Donuts towards a black employee, he was punched in the jaw resulting in a fatal death. Now the employee that punched him is being placed on house arrest. 

On May 4, 2021, the incident happened at a Tampa, Florida, Dunkin’ location. Initially, the employee, Corey Pujols, 27, was trying to calm down the situation with the unruly customer, Vonelle Cook. But he was offended when Cook used a racial slur towards him twice. 

Cook, who is white, went through the drive-thru to order coffee but was angry over the lack of service. The employees had a difficult time hearing Cook’s order, and then Cook started yelling through the mic. 

Cook is a regular at the location, so employees urged him to leave once he became upset. Instead, he parked his car and stormed into the establishment. He became aggressive and started to verbally assault the employees. 

Pujols stepped in and asked employees to call the police. He also requested Cook to leave, which led to an argument. 

FOX 13 Tampa Bay reports, police said Cook called Pujols a racial slur. Once Pujols heard it, he asked Cook not to call him the N-word again. Soon Cook did, and Pujols “punched him in the jaw….Cook fell and hit his head on the floor. He was taken to the hospital, where he died three days later.” 

Pujols was initially charged with aggravated manslaughter. However, now he must serve two years of house arrest, attend 200 hours of community service, and attend an anger management course.

Prosecutors accepted a plea deal because of Pujols’ young age and no criminal record. 

Tampa Bay Times reported, “Grayson Kamm, a spokesman for Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren, said prosecutors, in their decision, considered the “totality of the circumstances,” which included Pujols’ lack of criminal history, his youth, and the fact that he did not intend to cause Cook’s death.”

“Two of the primary factors were the aggressive approach the victim took toward the defendant and everyone working with the defendant, and that the victim repeatedly used possibly the most aggressive and offensive term in the English language.”