Elderly Man's Neck Broken During Confrontation With Florida Cop

You know how dangerous and physically violent those 84 year olds can be

An 84-year-old man is out of surgery Monday after he suffered a broken neck during a confrontation with an Orlando police officer over the weekend. Daniel Daley's family told WFTV Monday afternoon, that the doctors at Florida Hospital are optimistic about his recovery.

The incident began when a police officer was dispatched to The Caboose bar on North Orange Avenue south of Princeton Street (see map) around 11:00pm Saturday, after reports that Daniel Daley was arguing with a tow truck driver.

Witnesses said the World War II veteran touched Officer Travis Lamonte several times during the argument and, in response, the officer slammed him to the ground.

"All of a sudden, an officer did some kind of a defensive movement, hip-checked him and then pile-drived him to the pavement," eyewitness Tim Scott told WFTV. "I actually thought he was going to be dead. The way he, you could hear his head hit the pavement from across the street."

Daley's son, Greg, said his father was hospitalized in critical condition after the confrontation. "The severity of his injuries just seem as though an overwhelming amount of power to take him down like that," said Greg Daley, the man's son.

Orlando police said Daniel Daley was intoxicated when he grabbed the officer's neck and then threatened to punch him.

WFTV spoke with Orlando Police Department Sgt. Barbara Jones Monday, who said Daley had a .187 alcohol level, twice the legal limit for driving. "He grabbed the officer, pulled back his arm and said, 'I'm not going anywhere until I knock out this cop,' something to that effect." Jones said.

However, Scott said Daley only tapped Officer Lamonte. "It was just too excessive. I can't say excessive enough," Scott said.

Daniel Daley was charged with assault on an officer. Orlando police said they plan to prosecute and sent the information to the State Attorney's Office to decide.

"Everybody is focusing on the age. I am focusing on the action of the person. People, 84, can kill officers, too, can cold-cock my officer in the face, knock him out and now you've got an officer laying down on the ground with a gun, and everything is completely out of control," Jones said.

Officer Lamonte had been disciplined in the past for bad driving and a wrongful arrest in a misdemeanor case.

Original report here




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