Felony Charges Dropped Against Alleged ‘Dine-and-Dash Dater’

A California judge on Thursday dismissed all felony charges against Paul Guadalupe Gonzales, the alleged “dine-and-dash dater” who’s been accused of ditching women at the dinner table and leaving them with an expensive check. The New York Daily News reports that the judge only upheld two misdemeanor charges against Gonzales: one count of defrauding an innkeeper and one count of petty theft. The ten charges of felony extortion were rejected, but Deputy District Attorney Michael Fern quickly vowed to appeal. The motion for an appeal will likely be filed and reviewed by a new judge Monday. As The Daily Beast previously reported, the women allege that Gonzales indulged in a bevy of expensive orders—including wine, lobster tails, and steak—before leaving them with the tab. “I just wanted to get home, you know, lick my wounds,” said one victim, who was allegedly left with a $250 bill. “So I paid the bill and I left.”