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NORRISTOWN — A Hatboro woman who authorities accused of engaging in “a profane, racially fueled tirade” against a borough restaurant owner was ordered to stay away from the pizzeria and must write a letter of apology to the owner as part of her sentence on a charge of harassment.
Rita Frances Bellew, 56, of the 100 block of East Moreland Avenue, was sentenced recently in Montgomery County Court to 90 days of probation and eight hours of community service after she pleaded guilty to a summary charge of harassment in connection with a Feb. 23, 2023, incident at Amy’s Family Pizzeria in the 300 block of South York Road in Hatboro.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman, who accepted a plea agreement in the case, also ordered Bellew to “stay away” from the restaurant and to write an apology to the owner and staff of the eatery.
With the summary harassment charge Bellew specifically admitted that with the intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person she engaged in a course of conduct or repeatedly committed acts which served no legitimate purpose.
A summary offense is similar to a traffic violation.
A more serious misdemeanor charge of ethnic intimidation was dismissed against Bellew as part of the plea agreement.
Court documents indicate that in November, Judge Henry S. Hilles III denied Bellew’s application to transfer her case to the county’s Behaviorial Health Court, which addresses the needs of people with serious mental health problems who are progressing through the court system. After a review of information provided to the court on behalf of Bellew, officials determined the information did not provide a psychological evaluation indicating a severe mental illness, according to court records.
Assistant District Attorney Tanner C. Beck handled the case. Defense lawyer Patrick J. McMenamin Jr. represented Bellew during the court proceedings.
The investigation began about 5:55 p.m. Feb. 23 when Hatboro police responded to Amy’s Family Pizzeria in the 300 block of South York Road for a report of a verbal disturbance, according to a criminal complaint filed by Hatboro Police Sergeant Brett Paul.
A 911 caller told authorities that a customer was harassing employees. Arriving officers observed Bellew standing in front of the cashier at the restaurant.
“Bellew was filming the employees with her cellphone and told us she wanted a refund,” Paul alleged.
The owner of the restaurant told police that as Bellew placed her order she complained after hearing a Spanish language channel playing on a TV in the restaurant. Bellew allegedly began yelling obscenities and racially-charged remarks at the owner who then offered her a cash refund. Bellew demanded a refund on her credit card, stating she didn’t want the owner’s “dirty money,” according to the arrest affidavit.
A female employee behind the counter recorded the incident on her cellphone and the 4-minute-and-22-second video went viral on social media and was even picked up by news outlets nationwide.
“The video shows Bellew berating the staff of the restaurant with a profane, racially fueled tirade. Bellew was apparently triggered, at least in part, by a Spanish broadcast being shown on a television in the restaurant,” Hatboro Police Chief James E. Gardner wrote in a March 3 press release.
According to the arrest affidavit, the video shows Bellew leaning over the front counter and yelling at the owner and she is heard saying, “Hey, I have been in Hatboro for 55 years, guess what, (expletive), you’re out of business.”
Bellew then allegedly questioned the owner about the Spanish language TV channel being on in the restaurant. The owner asked Bellew, “What’s wrong with that?” according to court papers.
Bellew allegedly responded, “What’s wrong with that? You’re not American, dude. I will look you the (expletive) up and get you out of our town,” before flashing her middle finger at the restaurant owner’s face and shouting expletives.
“Bellew then tells (the owner) that she is not giving her money to an illegal immigrant,” Paul alleged.
Bellew allegedly told the owner, he’s in America “and that he is supposed to learn English,” and she continued to complain about the Spanish TV channel, according to the arrest affidavit.
“Bellew continues to yell at the employees while holding her cellphone up as if she is recording them. Bellew then claims that she is being videotaped because she is white. The cellphone recording ends just as the police enter the restaurant,” Paul wrote in the arrest affidavit.
The owner of the restaurant gave police a cash refund to hand to Bellew. Police told Bellew she was not welcome back to the restaurant.
“While shrugging, Bellew said ‘I’m white, I’m white and I’m racist,” Paul alleged.
When police reiterated that Bellew was not allowed back at the restaurant she allegedly stated, “I’m too damn white” and questioned the “blue hair,” referring to one of the female employee’s blue-colored hair, court documents indicate.
The restaurant owner’s son told police he believed the remarks made by Bellew where racist and he explained that he and his father are of Guatemalan descent, according to court papers.
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