A District man has been sentenced to four years in prison after he threatened a co-worker with a gun during an altercation at the restaurant where they worked, authorities said.
Donald L. March, 46, was charged with felony threats and unlawful possession of a firearm after the November incident. He initially pleaded guilty to the charges in January and then attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, but was not permitted to do so.
According to a criminal complaint, March got into an argument with a female co-worker outside the restaurant on the 300 block of Cedar Street NW last November. Police reports indicate that the incident was reported at 341 Cedar St. NW, but employees of the restaurant there, Cedar Crossing Tavern and Wine Bar, weren’t able to confirm Friday that March had worked there.
March, a cook at the restaurant, told the woman that he believed she was “leading his nephew on,” according to the complaint. March later confronted the woman in the kitchen of the restaurant, according to the complaint. The woman told police that March pulled a handgun from his waistband, pointed it at her, and said, “Keep playing, I’ll pop your ass,” according to the criminal complaint. Witnesses on-scene called 911, and March fled the scene.
He was arrested outside his apartment adjacent to the restaurant a short time later.
March pleaded guilty to the felony threats charge, but he later told the court that he had only pretended to have a handgun and “just had his hands in his pants,” according to court documents where he asked to withdraw his initial guilty plea on the unlawful possession of a firearm charge. That request was denied.
In court Friday, March was sentenced to three years in prison in connection with the felony threats offense and four years in connection with the unlawful possession of a firearm offense. He will be able to serve both terms concurrently, and will also be placed on probation for three years upon his release.
