Parolee Attacks Forestville Barista: Sonoma Co. Sheriff's Office

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A parolee with a history of assault and drug-related convictions was arrested Friday in an alleged random and violent attack of a barista at a Forestville coffee shop, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were dispatched at about 5 p.m. Friday to Roasters Espresso Bar, 6656 Front St., to find 26-year-old transient Sean Seeman being held down by a bystander, sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum said in a news release.

The 22-year-old barista told deputies she'd served Seeman two cups of coffee over a period of about an hour and a half. She did not know Seeman and said he made her nervous because he was watching her while she worked.

Then he got up and asked her to watch his belongings and walked out of the store — but quickly rushed back in, backed her into a corner and pushed her against the bathroom door while holding a sharp, small piece of thin scrap metal to her neck, attempting to force her inside, Crum said.

The barista fell to the floor, catching the attention of a 53-year-old man outside the store. The witness ran in and confronted Seeman, telling him to leave the store which gave the barista enough time to to get away from her attacker, Crum said.

Seeman refused to leave and threw a "sharp object" toward the witness but just missed him, Crum said, at which point the witness threw a milk crate at Seeman — hitting him in the face.

"A struggle then ensued and the man was able to wrestle Seeman down to the ground and hold him until the deputies arrived," Crum said.

Seeman, who has previous arrests for felony assault with a deadly weapon, threats, false imprisonment, assault, battery and parole violation, was being held without bail in Sonoma County jail, the sergeant said.

No one involved in the struggle sought immediate medical attention, Crum said.

Photo courtesy Sonoma County Sheriff's Office