An attack at a McDonald’s in Boyle Heights leaves a woman brain dead and the suspect faces only a misdemeanor charge

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A woman is on life support after trying to help her husband during an attack at a McDonald’s in Boyle Heights.

Surveillance video shows a man, later identified as Charles Green Jr., attacking Jose Rangel in a restaurant drive-thru on March 9.

Rangel’s wife, Maria Luna – who family says is partially blind – got out of the car to help her husband.

“When she reached down to see if she could feel who was on top or if she could try to pull the man down … The man pushed her with his body and made her fall. She hit her head. And that’s why she had a heart attack,” said Veronica Rangel, Maria Luna’s stepdaughter.

A few days ago, Maria Luna was hospitalized again and placed on life support.

The family said doctors told them Monday night that Maria Luna was brain dead.

Her family is heartbroken and upset that the suspect who attacked Jose is only charged with assault.

“They said they couldn’t blame the man because he didn’t intentionally push her,” Veronica Rangel said. “Although everything that happened was because he walked up to my father and beat him up.”

Victim advocate and former LAPD detective Moses Castillo says, “We’re asking the DA to look into this again or for the third time or whatever it may be. I really hope they get all the facts, look at the video. Look at the evidence and the fact that we now have a dead victim.

We reached out to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office but did not receive a response.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help cover medical costs and, unfortunately, the funeral.