A Los Angeles fitness studio owner apologized in tears claiming she is "not a racist" after a video went viral showing her throwing hot coffee on a Latino worker at her upscale condo building.
Los Angeles Police Department officers were called to Rhonda Michelle Polon's building in the 2300 block of Fox Hills Drive on August 4 after she allegedly made racist remarks to a pair of contractors who recorded the incident. Polon was seen throwing coffee on Miguel Angel Sánchez after he told KTLA-TV she called the two construction workers "wetbacks" and criminals. Polon said a string of recent burglaries caused her to question why the two men were trying to gain access to her building's garage.
"I'm not a racist," Polon, who owns Spin Gal Fitness, told KTLA-TV. "None of those things have ever come out of my mouth. I may have a temper at some points, but I am not a racist person." Polon said she was angry with herself over the recorded tirade but denied making the racial slurs toward the Latino men as was claimed by Sánchez. The video begins after the alleged racist exchange of words.
"She was calling us wetbacks, and that we were probably there to steal stuff," Sánchez told KTLA. "After all those racial comments on us, I got my phone out and started recording."
In the video, Polon can be seen lunging at Sánchez and screaming, "Get out of my f***ing face" as she throws her mug of coffee directly at him. Sánchez can be heard saying that he is going to call the police for the assault. Labeling Polon and her male cohort "Coffee Cathy" and "Bathrobe Billy" in a Facebook post, Sánchez commented that he opted to have her receive a ticket versus being arrested.
"The lady got a ticket, when the police arrived, I was given the choice to take her to jail or issue a ticket so I decided the ticket. I had compassion which I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have with me if it was the other way around. I know I made the right decision, and I know deep down that she will not change her point of view about us (latinos, mexicanos, hispanos, etc,etc) but I still tried to show good values and hopefully to pass them on. Despite the job I have, the color of my skin or where I came from, I tried to be the better man, and that's how you win. There is only one race, HUMAN RACE. Gracias por el apoyo."
LAPD told local website WeHoville.com Polon would have been detained on suspicion of misdemeanor battery but Sánchez refused to press charges. Polon told police she was simply trying to defend herself and her property. "I'm completely sorry for throwing the coffee," she told KTLA-TV. "They were now coming at me from both sides and it scared the hell out of me."
Sánchez posted screenshots of text messages allegedly sent by Polon to his wife in which she appears to threaten their family for recording the video.
"The police were just here. They saw right through your husbands so called 'spliced' video. They know what your husband is all about. I'm just giving you a heads up because I know you have children and I wouldn't want you or them to be harmed," Polon allegedly wrote his wife one week after the incident.
Polon's Spin Gal Fitness business pages have since been littered with angry messages ridiculing her behavior in the recorded incident. Dozens of images have been posted to her Yelp reviews accusing her of being a racist and a Donald Trump supporter.
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