A Netflix-featured chef bravely fought back against a homeless man who hurled a racist slur and violently attacked her in a liquor store in downtown San Francisco. The shocking incident, captured on surveillance footage, left chef Wendy Drew with a broken nose, and a severe eye injury, and the attacker facing hate crime charges.
Caught on camera: Violent confrontation
The incident occurred on September 1, when Drew, known for her appearance on the series You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment, was confronted by a man who began verbally assaulting her while walking his dog. “This guy, a regular-looking guy, walked by and called me the N-word,” Drew told NBC Bay Area. “I said, ‘Why are you calling me that? Why?’ Then he turns and starts hitting me on the head. He punched me like three times on the head.” Surveillance footage shows Drew pushing the man, later identified as 31-year-old Irvin Rivera-Lara, into a liquor store, where a wild brawl ensued. Drew urged bystanders to call 911 as she grappled with the attacker, who has a violent criminal history and is now facing hate crime charges.
A desperate struggle
In a harrowing account, Drew described how she fought to restrain Rivera-Lara. “I basically had him in a bear hug. I had my legs around him, and he kept trying to get away,” she said. At one point, the attacker’s dog came close, and while Drew feared it might bite her, the animal only licked her face.
“I loosened my grip, and that’s when he started repeatedly punching me in the face,” Drew (the featured chef) told The San Francisco Standard. The footage shows Rivera-Lara pinning Drew to the floor and unleashing a series of violent punches as his dog roamed around the store. A customer attempted to intervene by pepper-spraying Rivera-Lara, but the assault continued until both parties managed to stand. Rivera-Lara then attempted to flee but was detained outside until police arrived.
The attacker’s history and arrest
Rivera-Lara, who Drew initially mistook for a tech worker due to his appearance, turned out to be homeless with a history of violent behaviour. “He just looked like someone who was taking his dog for a walk,” Drew explained. “It turned out he was homeless. It didn’t seem like he had any mental issues at face value.”
Rivera-Lara was arrested on multiple charges, including assault likely to cause great bodily injury, committing a hate crime, and providing false information to law enforcement. This isn’t his first run-in with the law—last year, he was arrested for attacking a sandwich shop owner after urinating on trash cans near the restaurant. Drew suffered severe injuries in the attack, including a concussion, a broken nose, and a large facial gash that required medical attention. “I also got a concussion and a broken nose. It may require surgery; they are not sure yet,” she said. Drew also received a tetanus shot following the assault.
On Thursday, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins formally charged Rivera-Lara with assault likely to cause great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury. The charges come with special allegations that the attack was racially motivated.
“Hate crimes have no place in our community and must be addressed swiftly by the criminal justice system,” Jenkins stated. “Attacks like this demean and degrade individuals while also shaking whole communities. I will do everything in my power to ensure there is accountability and justice in this case.” The attack on Drew highlights ongoing concerns over rising hate crimes in the city, as law enforcement continues to confront violence and discrimination targeting vulnerable populations.