The vice president of Merrill Lynch was arrested after an abusive-victims assault against smoothie store employees who gave his allergic son a peanut-containing beverage resulted in the 17-year-old being taken to the hospital.
On Saturday, 48-year-old James Innazo was arrested on charges of intimidation based on prejudice, breach of the peace and criminal trespass after a fit of rage at a Robex on the 2061 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield. Connecticut, was captured on video.
He was also fired from his job as vice president of wealth management at Merrill Lynch – where he had worked since 1995 – after the clip was widely shared.
Fairfield Police say Innazo, who lives in a $2.64m five-bed, five-bath Colonial-style mansion in Connecticut’s South Pier, bought the smoothie at the store around 1 p.m. and left without incident.
Less than an hour later, things took a turn for the worse and Innazo called 911 for her 17-year-old son, who was suffering from life-threatening anaphylactic shock after drinking the smoothie.
‘My son lost the ability to breathe properly; Her lips and face were swollen, and she needed an EpiPen shot, but that didn’t bring her relief,’ Iazo told WTNH, ‘I called 911. My son went to the bathroom again, threw up and fainted and fell on the floor. He tossed again. My wife gave him another EpiPen while I called 911 again. Thank goodness he is fine.’
Innazzo then returned to Robex and confronted the staff, demanding to know the ingredients of the smoothie and who made it.
‘When I returned to Robex, I was out of my mind with fear for him,’ said Innazo, and I wish I hadn’t. ‘I also wish they were more careful preparing my son’s drink. I personally apologize to the Robex organization, especially to the employees who worked there that night.’
James Innazo, 48, was arrested on charges of intimidation based on prejudice, breach of the peace and criminal trespass after his racist attack in a Robex was caught on video.
He has directed a lawyer, although he has yet to say whether he will sue the Peanuts incident, but also acknowledged that his behavior went too far.
Iazo said: ‘My actions at Robex were wrong, and I deeply regret them. They do not reflect my values or my character. I feel terrible that I have completely lost my temper.
Robex employees said Inazzo did not ask for peanut butter in the smoothie, but never mentioned an allergy.
Innazzo then returns to Robex and confronts the staff, demanding to know the ingredients of the smoothie and who made it.
footage, posted on TIC Toc Recorded by user @cjjbreezy, one of the young girls working at the store, when Innazo demanded to know who was responsible for adding peanut butter to her smoothie order.
The video had garnered over 16 million views before being removed on Sunday.
‘Shut the f*** up! Stupid f****** idiot. You are a fool. I want f***** numbers. Shut up,’ said an angry Innazo, demanding to know the corporate office’s number.
‘You’re the f***** immigrant loser,’ he then says to one of the employees, prompting the rest of the employees to yell at him to leave the store. ‘F*** get outta here, you f****** b***.’
The enraged man eventually tried to break through the only employee’s entrance to the back of the shop as the young workers struggled to keep the door closed.
Innazzo left the store before police arrived, but took himself to officers later on Saturday, police said. He was released and is due for a court hearing in early February.
He has since been removed from the position of wealth advisor and director at Merrill Lynch Management, where he has been working since 1995.
‘Our company does not tolerate this type of behaviour. We have immediately investigated and acted. After the video went viral, the company said in a statement, “This person is no longer employed in our firm.”
The footage, which was posted to TikTok by @cjjbreezy, was recorded by a young girl working at the store after Innazo demanded to know who was responsible for adding peanut butter to her smoothie order.
‘You’re f***** immigrant loser,’ Inazzo says to one of the girls, moments after he smacked her, hitting her on the shoulder
Innazo curses at one of the young employees before throwing a smoothie at them. The employee was not seriously injured, police said
The incident occurred at the 2061 Black Rock Turnpike store in Fairfield, Connecticut.
During his career spanning more than two decades at Merrill Lynch, Innazzo became renowned as one of the region’s top financial advisors.
In 2021, he was ranked the 24th best wealth advisor in Connecticut by Forbes, flame Media reported.
Innazo was charged with one felony and two misdemeanors and was released until he appeared in court.
If convicted of those charges, he could face up to six years in prison and a $6,000 fine.
Innazzo is to appear in court on February 7 at Bridgeport Superior Court.
According to his LinkedIn profile and public records, Innazo is married and lives with his wife and three children in an estimated $2.64 million home in the Southport section of Fairfield.
Attorney Frank Riccio, representing Innazo, said his client was not racist, but that his “paternal instincts” had kicked in.
Iannazzo has since been removed from the position of wealth advisor and director at Merrill Lynch Management, where he had worked since 1995.
In the pictures of the phone that are going viral, Inazo is seen shouting at the employees.
‘F***** stupid, f****** ignorant high school kid,’ Ianzo shouted as one of the staffers filmed him on his cellphone.
‘I want to talk to the f***** who made this drink, are you?’ After walking inside the shop Innazo demanded.
One employee replies, ‘There are four of us here, so we honestly don’t know.
‘F***** stupid, f****** ignorant high school kid,’ he says. ‘I want to talk to the manager.’
‘Bye. You can call it corporate, whatever you want,’ another worker, wearing a blue hoodie, shouted back, while a coworker grabbed him by the hoodie to prevent him from heading in Innazo’s direction.
When she went to the front of the store, Inazo threw a smudge at her, prompting her coworkers to call the police.
‘You shut up. Get out… you won’t tell me to shut up, f****? Who are you? Who are you?’ The girl in the blue hoodie tells Innazo.
‘You’re af***** the immigrant loser,’ Innazzo replied.
The employee on whose shoulder he was hit by a smudge thrown by Innazo was not seriously injured, police said.
She said in a video update for the incident that Innazo was not charged with assault because no one was hurt, but that she would be making allegations.
Attorney Frank Riccio, representing Innazo, said his client was not racist, but that his “paternal instincts” had kicked in.
A statement from Riccio on Twitter said: ‘While drinking the Robex smoothie, his son had a severe allergic reaction, which required being taken to hospital via ambulance.’
‘When faced with a dire situation for his son, Mr. Innazo’s parenting instincts waned and he acted out of anger and fear.’
‘He is not a racist person and deeply regrets his statements and actions during a moment of extreme emotional stress.’
According to his LinkedIn profile and public records, Innazo is married and lives with his wife and three children in a $1.3 million home in the Southport section of Fairfield.
The enraged man eventually only attempted to break into the employee’s entrance as the young worker struggled to keep the door closed. no one was injured
Blaze Media reports that in 2021, Innazo was ranked the 24th best wealth advisor in Connecticut by Forbes
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