"Angel" Waiter Prevents Drink Drugging

Police: Patron Slipped Pill Into Blind Date's Drink; Waiter Saw, Told

(CBS)  Nancy McGrath considers Colt Haugen "an angel" and a life-saver.

Haugen, 22, a student at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, was in his third week as a waiter at a local Ruby Tuesday restaurant last month when, he says, he spotted a customer slipping a pill into the drink of the woman he was with.

Haugen told his manager, and they called police. Haugen also whisked the drink away and replaced it.

The customer, Robert Psaty, 56, was arrested on suspicion of inducing someone to consume a controlled substance. He is free on bail.

Police say they tested the drink, and it contained anxiety-relieving Valium.

McGrath was on a blind date with Psaty, whom she met through a dating service.

"It was just a typical table," Haugen told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith Thursday. "(An) everyday kind of thing; see it every night. A couple came in, they were just enjoying themselves, you know. It was kind of awkward at first. I noticed it was a first date. They were just sitting down to order food just like everybody else."

McGrath ordered a drink, then went up to the salad bar.

"I was helping another server deliver food to a different table," Haugen continued. "And she got up from the table, and I noticed it was the only time she got up from the table. She walked away. And as soon as she turned her back, he pulled a pill out of his pocket and put it in her drink and stirred it in and mashed it in with a straw.

"I almost dropped the food I was holding. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, you know. I'm watching this, all the signs of this are there. I'm blown away.

"I talked with the manager. I told her, I said, 'I saw this plain as day. And if we don't do something about this, something's going to happen to this woman.' So, we both just agreed that, no matter what the consequences were, we were going to do what was right."

They then notified police, despite concern about the possibility of being accused by Psaty of making false accusations.

McGrath told Smith she didn't know what was going on until police arrived and, "I didn't know if I could believe him until I talked to Colt because he was, you know, so genuine and so sincere. I knew right away when I talked to him (Colt) that what he said was exactly true.

"He saved my life. He could have saved my life. ... I can't be grateful enough."

McGrath says she takes other medications, so the pill that was put in her drink could have harmed her.

She wants women to know that this can happen to anyone.

Because McGrath has three undergraduate degrees and a Master's degree, she said she had considered herself too smart to get into a situation like this: "I was shocked at myself. It could happen to anyone. I wasn't intoxicated and I was eating at a family restaurant," she told CBS News.

For his part, Haugen insists he's no hero, telling CBS News, "Heroes are fireman and policemen. All I did was see something bad happening to someone and I made it right."

[homesheba]

its amazing how many people here say dumb things that they think are ''cute or funny''...
....
it makes me wonder if you all dont do the same thing- or worse to others.

that guy did a brave thing and we applaud him.
too bad there arent more like him out there.
decent and caring..

[brianbwb-2009]

To annd2302

Go get help, before you hurt someone.

Posted by brianbwb

Not that you would care, mind you, but the person you might harm might be dear to me, and I guarantee you don''t want to face the consequence of that.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by annd2302

Let us assume for a moment that you are heterosexual.

One of the instructions on a Valium label says "not to be taken with alcohol", because it is well known that alcohol can dramatically exaggerate the effects.

Now with those circumstances, what if some homosexual member of your gender secretly spikes your drink with a drug that, in combination with alcohol, can cause you to pass out later and be at that person''s mercy?

You show by your post that you are a sociopath, a mentally disturbed person who lacks the inability to consider others as human. Go get help, before you hurt someone.

[zootallures2]

Another liberal spoiling a neo-cons good time...right?

[annd2302]

timothyone Your post:

Why don''''t the women I date dropped me a valium now.................................................................................................

Your a person with an exceptional thought process. Keep up the good comments.

[timothyone-2009]

Why don''t the women I date dropped me a valium now and then? I''d especially appreciate one on a first date! That and a couple of Viagra might get me to the altar.

[rowdytexan2]

Way to gooooooooooooo!!!

[sjw1253]

Regarding the bartender issue - I don''t know how you can protect yourself against these things (this was over 30 years ago - so I guess if it were today I could have gotten a tox screen and reported it - back then I don''t know what would have been available to help me).

Thankfully I am not a big partyer and don''t need to drink to have a nice time and know what I drink...

[sjw1253]

I am glad this story has surfaced as we don''t always remember hearing PSA''s such as this.

Many years ago when I was in my 20''s and went to a nightclub with a nurse (friend) I got terribly sick and the guy who was hitting on me followed me into the bathroom all worried.

I knew immediately that I had been drugged as they kept trying to tell me I had more to drink than I remembered. I knew exactly how much I drank and it was 1 drink that had nothing in it...

It turned out it was the bartender and a friend of his. I ended up spending a horrible night in these peoples'' apartment keeping the one as far away from me as I could.

The crazy thing is that the nurse I was with thought it was "cool" - ended up marrying the guy - and ended up being brutally beaten by him ...

Needless to say I did not remain friends with her and could never understand anyone thinking that something like this was okay.

I am very happy for the woman as well and I think it is important for women also to know that the bartenders are capable of this as well - Thank God for such a good waiter...

I don''t want to take away from his heroism - because it truly was heroic (as so many just turn a blind eye as it is easier) - I am so grateful to this attempt being struck down.

I don''t know what else to say as the waiter in this case has a wonderful conscience and I only hope that this helps women be more careful.

[denn034]

Kudos to that "Angel."

[random_radar]

"Why wasn''''t he charged with attempting to rape her.

Posted by lochlan at 02:33 PM : Feb 21, 2008"

Because the someone stepped in and saved the day. Hurrah for Colt Haugen who ended the problem before it became a tragedy. He saved everyone a lot of trouble--even Mr. Psaty. So let''s be glad it worked out so well and be happy!

[locke10]

It''s pretty naive to go to the salad bar and leave your drink with someone you don''t know. People have been warning of this for years on PSA''s and such.

[lochlan-2009]

Why wasn''t he charged with attempting to rape her.

[hdinsight]

To: Extremophil --

You said, "Any primate with a conscience would have done the same thing." Unfortunately, many **** sapiens do not have the mental capabilities to actually develop a conscience. Fear of involvement, litigation or retribution keeps many knuck-dragging witnesses from stepping forward.

No dung should be flung at this act of courage. An opposable THUMBS UP to Colt Haugen, an extraordinary hero!

I saw him on GMA this morning and boy did I get chills when I heard this whole situation. Thank God this has never happened to me. This guy is a real sweetheart and a hell of a hero he is.... Something like that would have sat on my conscious also forever if I didn''t do something about it, just like he did. I just hope that he always remembers that good things come around also and what he did was extremely good. That girl has no idea how lucky she was to have that guy looking out for her. Everything happens for a reason and at that time it was time for that idiot to get caught. They always do!!! That''s why you should concentrait on being a good hearted person not a butthead.... Because what comes around goes around and it will ALWAYS nip you in the butt!!

[staycalm]

Thank God for the good people left in the world. The waiter and his manager are both heros for doing the right thing...they could have just looked the other way. The young man is very observant, smart, brave...and cute!

[nlm2383]

You can say that Extremophil, but if you were in that same situation would you do the same thing? I highly doubt it... As much as everyone would like to say "he''s a nothing, I would have done that" you know it wouldn''t be like that. It''s a dangerous situation... This guy could have been more than just a perverted possible rapist, he could have harmed someone if he knew what was going on. This guy is an angel and a life saver. He took the time to try to care about someone besides himself and thought about a complete strangers well being. You don''t see that often...

[Wookiee-1138]

Valium is pretty strong tasting. I think she would have noticed immediately.

[lindalouxx]

awesome work! There should be more men willing to look out for women as you have and take that chance. you should be proud of yourself! And yes, I agree they should look into this low life''s past, more than likely it has been done by him before. And a woman cannot ever be to smart when given a unknown situation such as this. It is unfortunate for those that are honest and would not even think of doing such a thing to another human being. He should be listed with the *** offeners.

[godseyesore-2009]

No wonder magoo2u1 makes such inane statements...look at his ID.