Man snatches hairpiece off head of man in restaurant

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Guilty Plea In Hairpiece Snatching
Associated Press
Thursday, September 16, 2004

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- A man was sentenced to probation Monday for snatching the hairpiece off the head of another man at a restaurant.

Paul J. Goudy, 25, of Lemoyne, pleaded guilty Monday to theft by unlawful taking. He was sentenced to 23 months' probation, fined $500 and ordered to write a letter of apology.

The victim, Edward Floyd, was sitting in the Fisaga restaurant in Harrisburg on Jan. 1 when Goudy ripped the hairpiece off his head, taking with it a gold chain that hung from his neck, according to court documents.

"Don't these guys have anything better to do than to rob and humiliate someone for absolutely no reason in the world? It's just outrageous," said Floyd, 60, of Harrisburg. "I'm a nice guy. I don't bother anybody."

Goudy said another man, Matthew G. Flinchbaugh, 26, of Wormleysburg, had offered him $100 to do it as a dare. Flinchbaugh is scheduled to be arraigned next month on charges of soliciting Goudy to steal the hairpiece.

Flinchbaugh's lawyer, William Fetterhoff, said the prank was "an exercise in very poor judgment."

"It's the sort of prank that when you're on the other end -- as Mr. Floyd was -- it's not funny at all," he said.

Flinchbaugh is expected to request entry into a first-time offender's program.

Floyd said he is examining the possibility of a lawsuit against Flinchbaugh, although he said he might drop the idea if Flinchbaugh apologizes.

"It has literally affected my entire life, and for what? What did I do?" Floyd said.