Pinkberry co-founder Young Lee was arrested yesterday afternoon at Los Angeles International Airport. Authorities booked him as soon as his flight from South Korea touched down on charges of assault with a deadly weapon that caused bodily harm. The incident in question took place in June, and the details surrounding what happened are both fuzzy and incredibly bizarre.
According to Lee’s attorney, his client was driving with several others in a rented Range Rover when a homeless man approached the vehicle. He apparently said something that caused alarm because a confrontation ensued. Authorities say Lee and another man parked the vehicle and chased the homeless man, eventually catching up to him and breaking his arm with a tire iron. Police later tracked the accused assailant down through the Range Rover’s license plate.
Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, Philip Kent Cohen, Lee’s representative, complained about authorities trying the case in the press, but he vowed to get the real story out once all the parties are in court.
It’s unclear exactly what the homeless man may have said to spark the fight, but prosecutors are speculating his exposure of a sexually graphic tattoo may have been the catalyst. According to Reuters, Lee has already posted sixty thousand dollars bail and been released from prison. If convicted, he could spend up to seven years behind bars, but at this early stage, no one is quite sure exactly how strong the prosecution’s case might be. We’ll keep you updated.
