A man is now in custody after he allegedly went on a violent rampage, causing nearly $60,000 worth of damage to a Vietnamese restaurant in Central Texas, according to its general manager.
Customers recorded the apparent incident at 888 Pan Asian in Austin on Sunday, April 12, which quickly went viral online. The Austin Police Department arrested 30-year-old Baron Maximiliano Heinrich, who’s been charged with terroristic threat with a pecuniary loss of over $1,500, a state jail felony.
On Sunday, APD officers responded to the restaurant, located at 2400 East Oltorf Street, after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting a disturbance, according to police. Loud crashes and glass shattering can be heard in the video of the alleged incident as the man in the video is seen walking through the restaurant, picking up a wooden room divider and hitting it against a service counter.
The general manager of 888 Pan Asian, Ryan Tran, told MySA that the restaurant lost two days’ worth of sales to clean up, which he estimates was upwards of $60,000 worth of damage.
He said that the total amount is currently pending to determine if the restaurant’s insurance will cover all the costs. In the meantime, Tran expressed his gratitude for the Austin community that has continued to show up and support the restaurant in its recovery.
“Everything [is] OK right now, but I just want to thank you to the Austin community and Austin Police officers for showing that they support us,” Tran said. “In that case, we always protect my customer, that’s the most important.”
Texas man faces charges for apparent outburst at Austin eatery
Travis County Records show Heinrich is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, May 11. He was booked into the Travis County Jail with a bond set at $3,500.
Several 911 callers initially reported objects and glass being thrown and shattered inside 888. When officers arrived on scene, they observed customers fleeing the restaurant as a man inside was actively destroying property, flipping tables, and throwing items at employees, according to APD.
The man, later identified as Heinrich, barricaded himself in a back office and refused police commands to exit. APD officers ended up using pepper ball rounds to lure him out of the restaurant without further incident. Police also confirmed he had no weapons.
“Heinrich caused extensive damage to the restaurant, including furniture, glassware, equipment, and structural elements,” APD said. “The incident forced the evacuation of patrons and disrupted business operations during peak hours.”
Police said the investigation is still ongoing.
This article originally published at ‘Thank you’: Austin eatery speaks out after $60K in damages; Texas man arrested.