Veteran in coma after DoorDash driver allegedly punched him over speeding warning

The alleged attack happened after the victim asked the DoorDash driver to slow down. (WXYZ, WIXOM POLICE DEPARTMENT, FAMILY HANDOUT, OAKLAND COUNTY COURT, CNN)

 By WXYZ

WIXOM, Mich. (WXYZ) - A 75-year-old veteran remains hospitalized in a coma after he was allegedly punched by a DoorDash driver who he asked to slow down in his Michigan neighborhood.

Family members say 75-year-old Lloyd Poole walked out of his Wixom driveway last Sunday to tell 40-year-old Ryan Turner, a DoorDash driver, that he believed he was going too fast. What happened next has left them devastated.

“Punched him right in the side of the head. My dad fell, never got up, never moved, and the DoorDash driver got back in his vehicle and drove away,” said Poole’s daughter, Jen Shaw.

Poole has been hospitalized since the alleged attack. He suffered a black eye and underwent emergency brain surgery, where doctors removed part of his skull. Shaw says her father has never fully regained consciousness.

“He’s not responding. He can’t talk. He’s not awake,” Shaw said. “We don’t know when he’s going to get out of this hospital bed. That may never happen.”

Wixom Police say Turner admitted to hitting Poole and leaving him on the side of the street. The suspect maintains he felt threatened when he found himself face-to-face with the 75-year-old after stepping out of his car to confront him.

Turner is charged with aggravated assault, a misdemeanor for which he faces up to one year in prison. He posted bond Thursday.

“[He’s] going about his life as normally as can be, and we’re definitely not,” Shaw said. “He’s out, wandering around. You just never know. I think you need to be careful because people are unpredictable.”

In a statement, DoorDash called the incident “appalling,” saying they removed Turner from their platform and are working with local law enforcement to ensure justice for Poole and his family.

Shaw describes her father as a strong man who volunteers regularly in the community. She says he never expected to be hit, hospitalized and hanging onto his life. The family is taking shifts at the hospital day and night, hoping he regains consciousness soon.

“You just don’t know with the brain, so we’re very concerned. We’re really worried,” Shaw said.

Court records show Turner has prior appearances for assault and battery in 2022, which was pled down to a lesser charge. He also has multiple offenses related to driving, including driving with a suspended or invalid license. 

Full Article & Source:
Veteran in coma after DoorDash driver allegedly punched him over speeding warning