Victim details Waffle House machete attack in Columbus, says suspect aimed for her face
A Columbus Waffle House employee who was the victim of a machete attack Wednesday shared her story in Columbus Recorder’s Court Thursday morning, saying that a stack of dishes saved her from having a hand cut off.
The attack, which left Crystal Lawrence with non-life-threatening injuries, occurred around 10 p.m. on Sunday at the Waffle House located at 6751 Veterans Parkway in North Columbus next to McAlister’s Deli.
Lawrence said her attacker, Michael Green, had been in the restaurant that night and she asked him to leave. She said Green continuously comes in and sometimes sleeps at her tables.
She said in testimony Thursday that prior to the attack, she had asked him to leave and he uncharacteristically cooperated nicely.
Lawrence said Green left and walked down the side of the restaurant to the back.
After customers left, Green came back in swiftly and swung a machete at Lawrence, striking her wrist, according to Lawrence’s testimony.
After testifying, Lawrence told the Ledger-Enquirer Green was standing near the restaurant when she arrived for her shift. Green later came in and Lawrence asked if he was going to eat anything about 30 minutes later. He said he wasn’t going to, and she told him he needed to leave, she said. She saw him out of the corner of her eye when he came back into the store, Lawrence said.
“As soon as I looked up, he looked at me, the most evil look anybody has ever looked at me,” said Lawrence.
She said Green grabbed the stool for leverage to lift himself up higher and aimed for her face.
Lawrence said she shoved herself away from the counter.
“Had he not hit the stack of dishes I had right there, I wouldn’t have a hand right now,” she said.
Lawrence said she was so in shock she didn’t realize Green had hit her. She told the Ledger-Enquirer she’s having anxiety attacks and is paranoid. She said she feels like somebody is going to attack her “out of the blue for no reason.”
Cpl. Christina Lombardo with the Columbus Police Department said Green told police after the attack he cut himself on some dishes.
Maiya Mcgowan, another Waffle House employee, was also working that night. She testified in court that she called out for the cook, who was also in the restaurant during the attack. Green left at that point, she said.
Lombardo said police dispatched to the area found Green in the parking lot of a nearby business wielding the machete. She said Green didn’t make any statements on the scene.
Green is charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime, according to police. Judge David Ranieri found probable cause and bound the case over to Superior Court.
A public defender argued for bond to be set for Green, but the request was denied after after both Lawrence and Mcgowan expressed concern for their safety.
Green had previously appeared in Columbus Recorder’s Court but had his case delayed twice. He waived his appearance in court Thursday.
