Not guilty plea in fork, Drano assault

The Burlingame parolee accused of assaulting a Safeway store manager with a bottle of Drano and a fork taped to his middle finger pleaded not guilty yesterday to felony charges of throwing a flammable substance, assault with a deadly weapon and making criminal threats.

Thomas Waddell, 46, was ordered back to court May 21 for jury trial and remains in custody in lieu of $300,000 bail. Shortly before midnight Oct. 22, Waddell reportedly entered the Howard Avenue store and approached the manager with a bottle of Drano in one hand and a metal fork taped around the middle finger of his other hand.

The manager reported that Waddell asked to borrow his cell phone and he refused. Waddell walked out of the store with a bottle of salad dressing but returned and drank a can of 7-Up, the manager said. After being told he must pay for the soda, Waddell allegedly threw the Drano at the manager and stabbed him six times with the fork before other employees pulled him off and called police.

The manager sustained no serious injuries.

At the time of Waddell's arrest, he was on parole for felony assault after dousing a neighbor with gasoline. Waddell reportedly thought the San Bruno man had molested his children although his wife said there was no validity to the claims. He was sentenced in November 2004 to two years in prison.

If Waddell is convicted of the newest charges, he faces 20 years to life in prison.