A man has been charged with an alleged assault on a San Francisco business owner that is said to have happened after the suspect was confronted while peeing outside the victim's business.
Peterson Harter, co-owner of Sandy's Muffs sandwich shop, took to Instagram to say he had been attacked outside his muffuletta shop on July 19 after telling a man to stop peeing on trash cans outside his Haight Street store.
Harter addressed the shop's Instagram followers in a post where he appeared to have a black eye and a cut on his forehead.
"This isn't how our city should be," Harter said in the Instagram post at the time. "I hope they find the fucking guy."
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Thursday that Irvin Rivera, 30, has been charged in connection with the assault on Harter.
Rivera was arraigned on Wednesday and pled not guilty to all charges and allegations, the DA's Office said.
Rivera is charged with assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury. The criminal complaint also includes an allegation of great bodily injury. Rivera is alleged to have fled the scene after the attack.
San Francisco Police arrested Rivera on Saturday in connection with the alleged assault on Harter and two separate arrest warrants unrelated to the assault: One for sexual battery in San Francisco County and the other for a prohibited person possessing a firearm in Napa County.
In conversation with The Standard after the alleged attack on July 20, Harter said he wants the suspect to do community service cleaning up the street outside rather than going to jail.
But on Thursday, Harter said learning about his assailant's other alleged criminal behavior made him consider the attack in a new light.
"I think after seeing everything this guy's done, it's not a random act of violence. He needs to be held liable for the consequences of his actions," said Harter, who said he is mostly recovered since the assault and has been heartened by community support in its wake.
"This guy clearly needs to go to some kind of rehabilitation or therapy to address why he keeps hitting other people," Harter said.
"Small businesses are the backbone of San Francisco's economy and brazen violent acts such as this one are unacceptable," Jenkins said. "My office will take the necessary steps to ensure there are appropriate consequences so that business owners and customers in our city are protected and feel safe."
Rivera does not currently appear in the county jail's inmate locator system.
Rivera’s next court date is scheduled for Aug. 15 for a preliminary hearing. If convicted of all charges he faces seven years in state prison, the DA's Office said.