Trial set in McDonald's french-fry arrest

No deal and no guilty plea, says a 75-year-old Clearwater woman briefly jailed in January after a confrontation with a police officer at a McDonald's drive-through.

Jean Merola has turned down the state's offer to plead guilty and pay an $88 fine on a charge of violating a city ordinance alleging that she obstructed a right-of-way.

Instead, she is scheduled to go to trial on July 10.

"I just want my day in court," Merola said outside a Pinellas County courtroom today. To her, the principle at stake -- that she doesn't want to admit guilt when she believes she didn't do anything wrong -- is what's most important.

Around 4 p.m on Jan 17., Merola, who had no criminal record, was making her regular visit to a McDonald's drive-through window for a coffee and some french fries without salt. Because the fries were a special request, Merola pulled her gray Lincoln Town Car forward to an area of striped asphalt where customers are asked to wait when their orders will be some minutes.

According to a report by Officer Matthew Parco, he was behind Merola and tried to drive around her after getting his drink from the drive-through window, but she was blocking his way. When she asked her to move, she became loud, threatening and abusive, police say.

Merola says her arrest came after Parco repeatedly honked his horn at her, was rude and over-reacted.

Attorneys expect the trial to last two days.

How could that be, County Judge Patrick Caddell wondered during a pre-trial hearing this morning.

Merola's attorney, Steven Andrews, said there are 400 pages of police and other records related to the case.

"That's, like, 20 pages per fry," Caddell said.

Not only that, Andrews said, there's some salt and pepper to this case, too.

Understood, the judge replied, but please keep things in perspective.

Among other things, Andrews said he expects a make a motion to have Parco take a personality test -- if he has not done so already -- and to see the test results before trial.

Jonathan Abel, Times staff writer