A 75-year-old Michigan veteran is hospitalized in a coma after a DoorDash driver allegedly punched him in the head on Dec. 28 in Wixom, leaving him so badly injured that surgeons removed part of his skull.
Police identified the suspect as 40-year-old Ryan Turner, who was charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault and posted bond Thursday, WXYZ-TV reported. (RELATED: REPORT: DoorDash Driver Loses Job After Cursing Out Disabled Vet For 25% Tip)
“Punched him 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,” Jen Shaw, the veteran’s daughter, told WXYZ-TV.
Shaw told WXYZ-TV her father, Lloyd Poole, walked out near his driveway to confront a driver he believed was speeding through the neighborhood, and the encounter ended with Poole collapsing and never fully regaining 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 his hospital bed. It may never happen.”
Police said Turner admitted to hitting Poole and driving away, but claimed he felt threatened after the two ended up face-to-face when Turner reportedly stepped out of his car to confront Poole.
Turner acknowledged the charge in court, telling the judge, “I do,” when asked if he understood it, the outlet reported.
In a statement, DoorDash called the incident “appalling,” said Turner was removed from the platform, and said it is working with local law enforcement, according to WXYZ-TV.