McDonald's Manager in ICU After Co-Worker Threw Scorching Hot Oil At Him

What should have been a typical work day for 20-year-old fast food manager Jacob Smith turned horrific after he was attacked by another employee, who threw burning hot oil over him.

Smith was working his shift at a McDonald’s location in Yuba City, CA when his co-worker, 23-year-old Jalani Bluett, suddenly tossed the oil at him.

He was rushed to the ICU with third-degree burns to over 22% of his body and is now receiving specialized treatment.

Here are some photos of Smith and Bluett:

Yuba City McDonald's boss rushed to ICU with horrific injuries after colleague threw scorching hot oil over him https://t.co/ntHvtjkXLm pic.twitter.com/tLseRsf3eY

— New York Post (@nypost) June 7, 2026

Black McDonald's employee arrested for throwing hot oil on White coworker, victim in ICU with burns to 22% of body in Californiahttps://t.co/touTzjOtzc

— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) June 8, 2026

A California McDonald's manager was left with scorching second-degree burns after a staff member allegedly tossed scalding hot oil at him https://t.co/6qNmjloYL5 🔗 pic.twitter.com/pZuT43sKS0

— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) June 7, 2026

Initially, Bluett fled the scene before law enforcement could arrive.

But, they later tracked him down and arrested him.

CBS News reported:

A Yuba City McDonald’s employee is recovering in the hospital after police say a coworker threw hot oil on him.

Jacob Smith, 20, suffered third-degree burns to his face, neck, hands, and shoulders and is now at UC Davis Medical Center for specialized treatment.

Police say it happened on May 30 when his co-worker, 23-year-old Jalani Bluett, allegedly threw hot oil on him following their shift.

After the shift, Bluett was reported missing before being located and taken into custody days later.

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Jacob’s mother, Amber Smith, said he was a manager at the restaurant and he is engaged, working hard to build a life for himself.

She said while he’s in a lot of pain and faces a long road to recovery, he remains in good spirits and is grateful for the outpouring of community support.

“My son has an amazing spirit and in the midst of all of this has been positive and trying to make us feel better,” Amber Smith said. “It was just so random of a thing, he’s a really good kid and it’s not just because he’s my son, he’s just a really good kid and has a good positive spirit about him.”

Bluett is facing multiple charges and is being held at the Sutter County Jail. At this time, we don’t know what, if anything, prompted him to attack the manager.

Smith now faces a long road to recovery.

His mother spoke to ABC 10:

“My son is God-fearing. He would give anything to anybody. If he had $5 in his wallet and you needed it, he would just give it to you,” said Amber Smith about her son.

Smith described Jacob as a positive light in her life. She said he is now trying to remain positive as he recovers from his injuries.

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“He’s got 2nd degree burns over 22% of his body. They said he was in excruciating pain yesterday,” Smith said.

Sadly, the incident happened not long before he was planning to get married.

A GoFundMe page for the young man reads:

At just 20 years old, Jacob has worked hard to build a future for himself. He is engaged to be married and has always been responsible, hardworking, and committed to those he loves. This unexpected tragedy has created a major setback at a time when he should be looking forward to building his life and planning his future.

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While Jacob focuses on healing, he will be unable to work and earn an income. The financial burden of lost wages, everyday living expenses, transportation, and recovery-related costs will continue to grow in the weeks and months ahead.

As his mother, it broke my heart when he looked at me and said, “Why would he do this to me?”