Man charged with attacking Dunkin' Donuts worker and police officer over slow service

EPPING — A South Hampton man who allegedly strangled a Dunkin' Donuts worker because the service was too slow is facing an "extended term of imprisonment" for punching the police officer who tried to put him in handcuffs.

Andrew Scheiner, 40, was indicted this month by a Rockingham County grand jury on one count of simple assault for punching Brentwood police officer Jared Wright-Ward on Sept. 5. He faces an "extended term of imprisonment" of two to five years for simple assault because the victim was a law enforcement officer acting in the line of duty.

Scheiner was previously indicted in October on a felony second-degree assault charge for allegedly strangling the female Dunkin Donuts worker and faces 3½ to 7 years in prison on that charge.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt or innocence; it means the grand jury found enough evidence to warrant a trial.

Police: Scheiner attacked two employees, punched officer

Scheiner was arrested Sept. 5 on multiple misdemeanor simple assault charges after police responded to a report of a disturbance at the Dunkin' Donuts in the Xtra Mart located on Route 125 in Epping.

Police allege Scheiner attacked an employee because he felt she was taking too long to prepare his order.

Surveillance footage shows Scheiner's hands around the Dunkin' Donuts employee as he pushes her backward over a countertop, police allege.

"(The victim) can be seen in the video losing consciousness as her body goes limp," according to a police affidavit.

Scheiner is then seen on the video, according to police, throwing things at her while she's on the floor and pouring a liquid on her head.

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Police said an Xtra Mart employee who was filming the incident with his cell phone was also attacked by Scheiner.

The employee told police Scheiner grabbed him by his hair, slammed his head into a wall and hit him with a chair. In the cell phone video provided to police, you can hear Scheiner demanding the employee say "she deserves it."

Brentwood officer Jared Wright-Ward was one of the first officers on the scene.

According to a police affidavit, Scheiner "immediately got into a confrontation" with Wright-Ward, who used a Taser on him. Scheiner allegedly punched Wright-Ward while he attempted to handcuff him. Two other officers assisted in taking Scheiner into custody.

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The Dunkin' Donuts employee was transported to the hospital, treated and released.

In the affidavit, police reported the store was damaged and there were "pools of blood and blood splatter" behind the counter.

Are more indictments coming?

Scheiner previously pleaded not guilty to five misdemeanor counts of simple assault and one felony second-degree assault charge.

For the second-degree assault charge, Scheiner faces 3½ to 7 years in prison if convicted.

According to court documents, Rockingham County Attorney Pat Conway stated Oct. 24 that they were currently reviewing numerous video clips from the incident, and they intend to bring additional charges against Scheiner.