Affidavit Details Allegations Against Dallas Restauranteur

The Colorado warrant for Vandelay Hospitality CEO Hunter Pond is based on an incident in which Pond allegedly spat on a woman’s face, threatened to pull her out of a car, and yelled expletives at her, according to an affidavit and application for arrest warrant filed in a Colorado district court.

Vandelay Hospitality Group operates Hudson House, Drake’s, D.L. Mack’s, East Hampton Sandwich Co., and more.

Mountain Village police previously said they’re unable to disclose records in the case as of Thursday, citing an ongoing investigation, and Pond’s attorneys sued the woman, alleging she was driving recklessly and “veered” toward Pond and his family while they were walking on a roadway back to their hotel after attending a wedding. Pond’s warrant was for two misdemeanor charges of harassment and disorderly conduct.

Both Pond’s lawsuit and the affidavit claim Pond and his family were walking on Mountain Village Boulevard during the evening hours of Oct. 15 when the woman drove close to the family walking in the roadway, and swerved to avoid them. Both also claim the road had no sidewalk.

The woman told police, though, that she rolled down her window and told the people in the roadway that they “shouldn’t walk in the middle of the road because no one can see you,” and continued on to pick up her husband at a hotel, where Pond approached her again, per the affidavit.

The woman said Pond banged on her window, she rolled it down, and Pond began yelling expletives at her and at one point threatened to pull her out of the car,the affidavit states.

“(The driver) said a woman behind her car, with a child, told (Pond) to stop, but he didn’t,” the affidavit reads.

At that point, she told police, Pond continued yelling and spat in her face before another man grabbed him and walked away, according to the affidavit.

“(The driver) said the other male party decided to open her rear trunk to her vehicle as he was walking past it,” the affidavit read.

The affidavit states hotel employees recognized Pond in surveillance footage because they’re required to know every guest by their first and last name, and police were able to verify Pond’s identity from reports in Dallas media.

Mountain Village police tried to call Pond, left voicemails, and issued the warrant after failing to get a response, per the affidavit. 

Pond’s attorney, Jason Friedman, said Pond will travel to face the charges in Colorado.

“We stand by our previous statement and vehemently deny the allegations made in the affidavit. Mr. Pond is looking forward to his day in court to clear his name, and to tell his side of the story,” Friedman said. 

Vandelay was sued in 2021 by a former employee alleging the “company’s culture has become shot through with racism, sexism, homophobia, and outright disdain for its employees and guests.”

Vandelay denied the claims in that lawsuit to local media.