WILLIAMSBURG — A man who refused to pay for food and aggressively tried to bum a cigarette at a pair of Williamsburg restaurants went on a violent rampage last week — throwing chairs at patrons, threatening to kill a pizzeria owner and then punching two police officers after getting arrested, authorities said.
Christopher Heyward, 23, was slammed with a slew of charges, including assault, harassment and attempted robbery for three incidents that occurred around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Heyward started at Anna Maria Pizza at 179 Bedford Ave. with a male friend and two women around 1:55 a.m., according to police and pizzeria owner Nestor Acosta, 58.
Heyward, a more than 6-foot-tall man, and his friend, a short, heavyset man, demanded to be seated at a table with four chairs, Acosta said. The women did not cause any trouble, he noted.
About 10 to 12 people were already in the restaurant, and sensing trouble, Acosta told the group to "make yourself feel at home" by adding another chair to a table, he said.
Heyward and his male friend then ordered three slices of pizza but refused to pay, Acosta said.
When Acosta said the slices cost $12, Heyward reached over the counter, grabbed a pizza tray and threw it onto the ground, nearly hitting the owner with the pizza, according to Acosta and a criminal complaint.
"He went ballistic, throwing everything," the 58-year-old pizzeria owner said.
Heyward then picked up a chair and struck a man standing near the counter in the back of the head, causing cuts, bruises and "substantial pain," the criminal complaint said.
Heyward also threw the chair over the pizzeria's counter, breaking an overhead lamp and a television, as well as striking Acosta, according to police and the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. Acosta still had a large bruise on his arm from the force of the chair a week after the alleged attack.
Acosta went to call 911, but Heyward's friend threatened that if he called police, "you can kiss your family goodbye, we will come and kill you," before fleeing with Heyward, Acosta explained.
The pizzeria owner, who has worked late nights in Williamsburg for 18 years, said he'd never seen such a terrible altercation.
"If he hit me directly, I could have been killed," he said.
Heyward continued his rampage by threatening to rob another local restaurant, according to police and the DA's office.
He approached a man who was smoking outside Cherry Izakaya, a restaurant at 138 N. Eighth St., about 2:10 a.m., officials said.
"How do you know I am not a f---ing sniper and that I won't kill everyone," Heyward said to the man, according to the DA's office.
"When I ask for a cigarette you better give me a cigarette and this is going to be the worst day of your life, I want all the money inside," he continued, the criminal complaint said.
Heyward then pushed the man, who was a custodian at the restaurant, into the lobby, police said. The man ran back to call police, and when Heyward saw the phone, he fled, police said.
Cherry Izakaya did not return a request for comment.
The man's violent night continued after police ultimately arrested Heyward at North 10th Street and Wythe Avenue.
After an officer took off one of Heyward's handcuffs at the 94th Precinct station house, he punched the officer's face with a closed fist, grabbed him and started to wrestle with him, according to police and the DA's office.
A sergeant at the precinct intervened, and Heyward also punched him in the face and wrestled with himthe DA's office said. Heyward used his weight to push both police officers to the floor, causing bruises to their faces and "substantial pain" in their necks and backs, the DA's office said.
Heyward's attorney declined to comment.
Police said he has 14 prior arrests but did not detail. His bail was set at $7,500, the DA's office said.
Acosta said he's not worried about the damage in his restaurant, and is more concerned that the incident isn't repeated.
"I just want people to come in and be happy," he said.
