Pizza-Ordering Fiasco Ends in Death Threat, Police Say

A Waukesha man, upset when an employee at a local pizza restaurant couldn’t understand him on the phone, faces a series of charges after he reportedly verbally threatened a Marco Pizza employee’s life.

Rubin McKinney, 53, was charged Tuesday in Waukesha County Circuit Court with obstructing an officer, telephone harassment and disorderly conduct. If convicted, he faces up to 1-14 years in jail and $12,000 in fines.

McKinney was trying to order a pizza on July 1 from Marco’s Pizza, 139 East Broadway, when the employee asked him to repeat what she said because she was unable to understand his order.

“Don’t (expletive) articulate me,” he said in an agitated voice, the complaint states, and the employee tried to repeat his order back to him. He said “listen up, white girl” and mumbled something else, according to the complaint.

The employee again asked him repeat his order and he exploded saying “Once I get down there, you will not be walking out your front door.” McKinney then hung up the phone, the complaint states.

McKinney arrived at the store later in the day, so another employee at the store snuck in the backroom to call 911. McKinney started yelling at the employee, saying “You are not articulating my order,” the complaint states.

McKinney left before police arrived, but a Waukesha police officer spotted him on a bicycle and attempted to get him to stop. After a short foot pursuit, McKinney ducked into an apartment building where a witness pointed the officer into the furnace room, the complaint states.

The officer caught up with McKinney in the furnace room and McKinney turned toward the officer, “this is how it is going to be, let’s go,” the complaint states.

The officer drew out his taser and ordered McKinney to the chair until back up arrived. McKinney did not immediately obey commands when he was taken into custody, the complaint states.

When he was at the Waukesha County Jail, McKinney told the officer he didn’t know why police were making such a big deal out of the incident because he only went to the store to speak to the manager. McKinney also provided the wrong spelling of his first name to police officers during booking.