(KRON) — A 31-year-old woman who was brutally assaulted last week by a stranger at Nation’s Giant Hamburgers in Daly City continues to recover while her suspected attacker is expected in court Tuesday.
Nicole, a recent culinary graduate, was grabbing food from the 24-hour fast-food diner at Westlake Shopping Center on Friday around 11:35 p.m. when a stranger walked up to her and demanded her car keys, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. Nicole refused, and the suspect, later identified as Marc Joseph Vigo Buada, 30, of Daly City, started to punch her in the face.
Nicole fell to the ground during the assault and she began to crawl back into Nation’s in an attempt to get away. Buada then grabbed her, prosecutors said, threw her to the ground and repeatedly kicked her before walking away.
According to the DA’s office, Nicole was left severely beaten with blood “pouring out of her eye” and a fractured orbital bone.
An hour after the vicious attack, early Saturday morning, prosecutors said Buada walked up to an occupied car and tried to open the driver’s door. When the driver of the car got out, Buada allegedly punched him in the face. The victim called police and Buada was found and arrested nearby.
Buada faces felony charges of carjacking, assault likely to produce great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury. He is expected to be arraigned in court Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Bail was set at $400,000 and he remains in custody.
A verified GoFundMe page started by family to help with Nicole’s recovery said she has been barely able to open her right eye after days of hospitalization.
“Unfortunately, Nicole does not currently have health insurance,” the page stated. “The cost of her medical care, follow-up treatments, and time away from work will be significant. I’m asking for your help to ease the financial burden so Nicole can focus on healing – physically, emotionally, and mentally.”
