Pinkberry founder angered by explicit tattoo, beat homeless man with tire iron

Pinkberry frozen yogurt has become a phenomenon in places like Los Angeles and New York City, but 47-year-old co-founder Young Lee may not be riding the wave of success much longer. Lee, a former kickboxer, is accused of beating a homeless man with a tire iron after the man flashed a sexually explicit tattoo.

Lee arrived in Los Angeles after a flight from South Korea and was arrested at the airport. He is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, causing great bodily harm according to the LA District Attorney's Office.

Pinkberry has said that Lee is no longer involved with the company.

The attack allegedly occured at a red light when Lee was in a Range Rover and the homeless man was panhandling. When the man exposed his tattoo, Lee felt disrespected, got out of the car, and used a tire iron to break the man's arm and cause welts on his head.

"While it would be inappropriate for us to speculate on the allegations in question, we can say without hesitation that Pinkberry values the communities we serve and stands against acts of violence of any kind, especially those involving the most vulnerable among us," says a statement from Pinkberry. The company says that Lee severed ties in May 2010.

The attack has drawn attention from celebs -- "Cougar Town" star Busy Philipps tweeted, "I just want to say, I hope the homeless man takes this a**hole for EVERYTHING." Amen.