Boston man charged with assaulting Burger King employee and customer
BOSTON, July 13, 2026 – A Boston man is facing charges after lunging at a Maverick Square Burger King employee, punching a customer and then resisting arrest at a nearby MBTA station, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
PATRICK DONOVAN, 59, was charged in East Boston BMC on July 1 with one count of assault and battery causing injury on an over 60 or disabled person, assault and battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assault, and vandalism.
Judge Debra DelVecchio released Donovan on personal recognizance and ordered him to stay away from Maverick Square and Burger King. Donovan will return to court on August 7 for a pre-trial hearing.
At about 9:49 p.m. on June 30, Boston police responded to a disturbance call at Burger King at 1 Maverick Square. Officers received a description of Donovan and learned that he had fled toward Maverick Station. While officers tried to detain Donovan inside the station, he swung at them with a closed fist but did not make contact. Donovan was placed into custody after a brief struggle. Donovan repeatedly made racial slurs toward officers.
A Burger King employee told officers that Donovan entered the restaurant, ordered his food, and began yelling that he no longer wanted his food once it was ready.
Donovan then smacked a napkin holder off the counter, lunged at the Burker King employee and grabbed her by the arm.
Donovan then shoved the second victim, a customer, from behind and punched him in the face three times while calling him racial slurs. The second victim had visible lacerations to his forehead and was evaluated by EMS but declined further treatment.
Officers obtained security footage of both assaults.
Hayden said the incident remains under investigation and could result in further charges.
“Our workers deserve to be safe in their workplaces and our consumers deserve to be safe in their shopping or dining places, without exception. Beyond that, none of our citizens or first responders should be subjected to racial slurs. These appalling words have no place in Suffolk County or anywhere else in our society,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications