Michigan Judge Dismisses Charges Against White Couple Who Pulled Gun On Alleged Black Assailants

Charges against a White couple stemming from a 2020 incident in which one of them pointed a gun at a Black woman and her teenage daughter outside a Michigan restaurant have been dropped, authorities said.

A trial had been set for Monday for Eric Wuestenberg, 44, and Jillian Wuestenberg, 34. Oakland County Judge Mary Ellen Brennan dismissed the charges after the alleged victims didn't show up to provide witness testimony.

Eric Wuestenberg, now 44, and Jillian Wuestenberg, now 34, had been charged with felonious assault, a 4-year felony.

The heated exchange appeared to stem from when the woman bumped into the mom's daughter as they were entering the restaurant. After the mom asked the woman to apologize, the disagreement brewed into a shouting match before a firearm was drawn.

According to [Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard], the argument is believed to have started after two people bumped into each other while one was walking out of a Chipotle.

"Apparently, what had happened - (there) was one common theme between both (stories) - the 3 headed inside Chipotle and one woman headed out with her food, there was a bump as they entered and exit," he said.

Bouchard said someone felt they needed an apology and "it escalated from there." He said it was unclear who the aggressors were.

The Wuestenbergs said they felt threatened as the altercation escalated.

"They were blocking the entrance to the car, I had a railing behind me," she said. "I was trapped, I couldn't go anywhere. I was being yelled at, berated, called a racist and ignorant and I was trapped."

Eric says got out helping his wife get in the car. They said amid the back and forth, they tried to back up and leave - but the car's automatic braking system suddenly stopped - at least one of the women was banging on the car. Jillian says she was in fear for their lives.

"At that point I realized we're not going home tonight, we're not going to see another day, and the only thing I can do is protect myself and I draw my firearm," she said.

The Wuestenbergs said they already paid a steep price following the incident.

Eric Wuestenberg, a disabled veteran, lost his job at Oakland University as coordinator for Veteran Support Services, while Jillian said she had lost her job at Hallmark.

They also said they had received numerous death threats and threatening text messages.

Jillian Wuestenberg's attorney Terry Johnson spoke about the relief his client experienced.

"One point they are very relieved, they literally just broke down crying once the charges were dismissed against them," said Terry Johnson "This has been almost three years of sheer hell for them."

Johnson makes it clear his client will likely continue to pay a hefty price for the incident because now she and her husband have been called racists which they deny.

After the incident, Eric Wuestenberg, a disabled veteran, lost his job at Oakland University as coordinator for Veteran Support Services, while Jillian said she had lost her job at Hallmark.

"Allegedly her daughter was bumped," Johnson said. "(The Black woman) was the one who made the ethnic intimidation threats and she said, and I quote, 'I will beat your white a**.'"

[...] [Johnson says] the alleged victim is bringing forth a civil lawsuit against his client for monetary damages.

"We have another group of people that really acted- I'll just say it - acted like thugs," Johnson said. "They wanted money and that's what they did."