Jacob Smith, 20, remains hospitalized as a co-worker faces felony charges.
YUBA CITY, CA — A 20-year-old McDonald’s employee remained in a burn unit Saturday after police said a co-worker threw hot liquid on him during a late-night assault at a Yuba City restaurant.
Jacob Smith suffered serious burns to his face, neck, right arm and back in the May 30 attack at the McDonald’s on Harter Parkway, according to police and his family. The case has moved into Sutter Superior Court, where 23-year-old Jalani Jermaine Bluett has pleaded not guilty to felony charges. Smith’s mother, Amber Smith, said her son faces surgery and a long recovery.
The attack was reported about 11:15 p.m. as the restaurant was closing. Amber Smith said her son was working as a closing shift manager and was in the office preparing to count money when he was struck on his right side by something extremely hot. “He was in the office getting ready to count the money when he saw out of the corner of his eye something, and he just turned and the oil was just thrown on him,” she said. Police said officers arrived after a report that someone had been burned by a hot liquid and found Smith with major burns to his upper body.
Smith was taken to a Sacramento County hospital and later remained in the UC Davis burn unit, where his family said doctors were giving specialized treatment. His mother said he had second-degree burns over 22% of his body and was in severe pain. “The pain he’s experiencing is so excruciating that they can’t give him a level of pain medicine outside of the ICU,” Amber Smith said. Doctors were working to reduce the size and depth of burns on his back and neck before deciding how much skin grafting may be needed. Smith’s family said he was expected to undergo surgery next week.
Yuba City police identified Bluett as the suspect after the assault. Investigators said he left the restaurant before officers arrived. The next day, the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office reported Bluett missing and at risk because of a diagnosis and vulnerabilities, asking the public for help finding him safely. Deputies later found him Monday and arrested him on a warrant obtained by Yuba City police. Authorities have not released a motive, and Smith’s family said he did not know why he was attacked. “Why would he do this to me,” Amber Smith said her son asked her from the hospital.
The Sutter County District Attorney’s Office charged Bluett with assault with a deadly weapon or instrument other than a firearm, mayhem and battery with serious bodily injury. Court records show he was arraigned Wednesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to all three felony charges. He remained in the Sutter County Jail without bail Friday. Prosecutors are expected to present testimony and evidence at a preliminary hearing, where a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence for the case to move toward trial.
The assault has drawn attention in Yuba City because it happened inside a familiar fast-food restaurant, just north of Highway 20 and about a mile west of Highway 99. Amber Smith has described the attack as a sudden workplace assault that changed an ordinary shift into a medical crisis. She started an online fundraiser to help with lost wages, medical costs and recovery expenses. “What should have been a normal day at work turned into a nightmare,” she wrote. The fundraiser had drawn thousands of dollars in donations by the end of the week.
Amber Smith said her family wants accountability as Jacob Smith continues treatment. “I want justice to be served,” she said. “I want him to understand what he did and the pain that he caused to my son.” McDonald’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment from news outlets covering the case. The record now shows one injured worker in intensive care, one defendant in custody and a criminal case moving through Sutter County court.
Bluett is scheduled to return to court Wednesday, with a preliminary hearing set to begin Friday. Smith remained hospitalized Saturday, June 6, as doctors prepared for the next stage of his burn treatment.
Author note: Last updated June 6, 2026.