A 61-year-old man accused of hurling an anti-Mexican slur before sucker-punching a 67-year-old stranger unconscious outside a Pacifica Starbucks has pleaded no contest to a hate crime assault charge, with his plea conditioned on a nine-year state prison sentence. David Anthony Brooks remains in custody without bail as he awaits a sentencing hearing set for Dec. 14, 2026.
According to the KRON4 report, Brooks entered his plea Friday, as confirmed by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. The case stems from an attack on Oct. 19, 2025, around 3:30 p.m. at the Linda Mar shopping center in Pacifica, where the 67-year-old victim was about to grab a coffee from Starbucks.
A Slur, Then a Sucker Punch
Prosecutors said Brooks was nearby talking to someone else when he remarked, “F–king Mexicans,” then approached the victim, who was still standing by their truck. Per the same account, Brooks punched the victim in the face before either of them exchanged a word. The victim fell to the ground unconscious while Brooks walked away, and the attack was witnessed by numerous people standing outside the Starbucks, according to prosecutors.
The victim was hospitalized for injuries sustained in the assault. Responding Pacifica Police Department officers located Brooks in the area and took him into custody.
Sentencing Still to Come
Brooks’s plea deal calls for a nine-year state prison term, though the sentence itself has not yet been formally handed down — that is scheduled to happen at his Dec. 14 hearing. Until then, he remains in custody without bail, the report notes.
The case lands amid a broader statewide picture of reported hate crimes. A snapshot released by the California Department of Justice shows reported hate crime events statewide dipped slightly, from 2,023 in 2024 to 1,955 in 2025, a 3.4% decrease.
For now, the Pacifica case moves toward its final step on the court calendar, with the community left to absorb the details of a daylight attack that unfolded in front of bystanders outside a neighborhood coffee shop.
