The man with an intricate tattoo of “Chevrolet” on his arm, who is accused of attempting to kidnap a bikini-clad barista, made his first court appearance on Wednesday.
Authorities say Matthew Darnell, 38, tried to drag a barista out of the drive-thru of the Beankini Espresso in Auburn, Washington early Monday morning. The popular drive-thru is known for its gimmicky baristas in lingerie and bikinis serving drinks.
Surveillance footage showed a suspect with a distinctive Chevrolet tattoo attempting to drag the unnamed barista out a window with a wired device. The victim managed to fend off the attacker, who drove off after failing to rope the woman up.
She told she didn’t know her attacker and said the attack was entirely accidental, and on Wednesday a King County judge found probable cause to charge Darnell with attempted abduction with sexual motivation and assault.
A formal fee decision will be announced later in the week, according to KATV.
Matthew Darnell, 38, made his first court appearance in King County on Wednesday
His signature “Chevrolet” tattoo on his left arm was featured in photos and videos released of his performance. None of the photos and videos show his face
In her decision, NBC News reports, the judge said she was not concerned that Darnell posed a flight risk — after his attorney determined he was a local business owner — but could pose another danger to the community.
She set his bail at $500,000.
Photos and video released of Darnell’s appearance in King County Court showed only his tattoo and a ribbon on his left arm. No pictures have been released showing his face.
Darnell was arrested at his Auburn home less than 14 hours after the attempted kidnapping. His name was finally revealed to the public on Wednesday.
Police in a Seattle suburb had released surveillance footage showing a man pulling up at Beankini Espresso’s window to pay and then get his change. The man appeared to have the same Chevrolet tattoo on his arm.
The man was then seen grasping the woman’s arm with one hand while holding a looped zip tie in the other – before attempting to pull the victim out the window.
Luckily the barista was able to fight back and free herself.
The man, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado, was then forced to drive away, with the dollar bills the woman handed him falling to the ground.
A barista who was almost kidnapped by a zip-tie-wielding truck driver on Tuesday said she failed to recognize her alleged kidnapper, who was arrested 14 hours after police released chilling surveillance footage that captured the nearby call
The alleged kidnapper grabbed the barista’s arm as she tried to hand him some cash through the window of his car
The barista struggled and finally got free before the man quickly sped off and some dollar bills fell to the ground
Speaking to after the horrific incident, the victim – who asked not to be named – shared how her alleged kidnapper ordered and paid for a drink before demanding an alteration for a $5 bill.
She said that when she went back to give him the five one-dollar bills, the man grabbed her. The victim said she and her colleagues had never seen the man before.
It remains unclear if Darnell has any connection to the barista or the coffee business.
But the barista, who has worked at the drive-thru coffee stand for nine years, claimed it was a “completely random act”.
She also said she’s grateful the woman-owned cafe emphasizes employee safety, revealing the store is equipped with a silent panic button, metal doors and security cameras.
Employees are also allowed to carry maces and tasers, she said.
The cafe is equipped with a silent panic button, metal doors and security cameras. Personnel may also have maces and tasers.
Beankini Espresso in Auburn, Washington is a woman-owned business that serves coffee and espresso through a drive-through window. Pictured: a former employee, not the victim
In an interview with Business Insider on Wednesday, the barista said she hopes the police have the right man so he can’t try to do this to anyone else.
“There was nothing more we should or could have done to prevent this,” she said, echoing the extensive security measures in place at the popular coffee stand, whose owner, she said, “puts our safety first.”
“We have maces, tasers, silent panic buttons, we have metal doors – extra precautions in case someone tries to kick in a door,” the woman noted. “We have audio, video.”
She also told : “Our owner allows us to close the window on every customer and handle every situation as we feel comfortable. We may deny service to anyone for any reason.’
Still, other baristas at nearby cafes are now worried about their safety, and a small business owner who runs a similar stand where employees wear risqué uniforms told KIRO 7 on Wednesday that she’s already in the process of making it more family-friendly, according to The Hopes to keep away, crawling like the ones in the footage.
Auburn Police Department spokesman Kolby Crossley said these baristas “are in a vulnerable position because they typically inspect these spots themselves in the early hours of the morning when it’s dark outside.
“But this barista did a great job of protecting herself and fighting that person off,” he added.
Authorities also noted that they arrested Darnell after “overwhelming community support.”