Man Who Threw Smoothie Banned From Fairfield Business After TikTok Confrontation

FAIRFIELD, CT — A Fairfield man is banned from a local smoothie shop and cannot have contact with a worker at the business after he hurled a beverage and shouted profane and racially charged insults during a confrontation last month, according to authorities.

James Iannazzo, 48, appeared in court Monday, where Judge Ndidi Moses ordered him to stay out of the Robeks smoothie shop and to refrain from contacting the victim. Iannazzo, who faces several charges, did not enter a plea and will return to court March 9.

“This unfortunate situation will be addressed in court at the appropriate time,” said Iannazzo’s attorney, Eugene Riccio.

The incident occurred Jan. 22, after Iannazzo purchased a smoothie at the store, which caused his son to have a severe allergic reaction and be taken to the hospital, according to police, who said Iannazzo returned to the business at 2061 Black Rock Turnpike and confronted the workers.

Iannazzo demanded to know who made the smoothie that triggered his son’s peanut allergy, and, when employees could not answer the question, he became irate, screaming expletives, referencing one worker’s immigration status and throwing the drink, striking an employee, police said. Iannazzo also tried to open a locked door to access the "employees only" area, according to police.

The confrontation was recorded and posted on TikTok, where it was viewed more than 15 million times in less than 24 hours before being removed.

Iannazzo left the scene before police arrived but was quickly identified and turned himself in, telling officers he was upset about his son's allergic reaction, according to law enforcement, who said employees reported Iannazzo asked for no peanut butter in the drink but did not mention the allergy.

A statement from his former lawyer, Frank J. Riccio II, claimed Iannazzo’s “parental instinct kicked in,” and that he is not racist and regrets his actions.

Iannazzo is charged with second-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias, second-degree breach of peace and first-degree criminal trespass.