Restaurant workers say dismissal in dine-and-dash case could set dangerous precedent
Pei Chung was arrested multiple times last year after restaurant workers said she ordered large meals and then could not pay.
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Staff and owners at several Williamsburg restaurants are reacting after a judge dismissed all criminal cases against a woman accused of repeatedly dining at upscale establishments and refusing to pay the bill.
Pei Chung was arrested multiple times last year after restaurant workers said she ordered large meals and then could not pay. She was sent to a psychiatric facility on Rikers Island in November, and some workers said they felt relieved at the time that she would be held accountable.
On Thursday, a judge dismissed all the cases after a psychiatric evaluation determined Chung was not fit to proceed in court. Some restaurant workers said they worry the decision could set a precedent.
Despite the dismissal, Chung will not be released. Her attorney said she remains in custody because of her immigration status and her mental health and is expected to be transferred to another psychiatric facility outside Rikers Island.
