Def Leppard’s drummer Rick Allen was attacked outside a Fort Lauderdale hotel in Florida this week.
The 59-year-old drummer was reportedly smoking a cigarette near the valet at the Four Seasons Hotel And Residences, Fort Lauderdale, when a 19-year-old male suspect ran toward the musician and knocked him over.
The attack caused Allen to fall and hit his head on the ground, causing injury, according to the police.
The Independent has contacted Allen’s representatives for comment.
The person who allegedly hit Allen has been identified as Max Hartley. He is also said to have allegedly attacked a woman who came to help the drummer when he fell down.
According to Fox News, Hartley struck the woman before she attempted to run back to the hotel.
He was later arrested by the police in the parking lot of a neighbouring hotel, the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach Hilton.
According to the authorities, he was found by Conrad hotel staff in the parking garage allegedly damaging vehicles.
The attacker was charged with one count of abusing an elderly or disabled person without great harm.
Allen also gave a statement to the police and said he would like Hartley to be punished.
The authorities released tapes of the 911 calls that led to Hartley’s arrest, reported Fox News.
“Apparently a guest, some guy assaulted her and was actually beating her up in front of the front of our building,” a woman from the Four Seasons told the police.
Another caller, who spotted Hartley breaking into his restaurant near the Four Seasons hotel, said: “Send the police here right now I’m sitting on a f****** suspect.”
“I was sitting out front. This guy, I caught him throwing chairs inside our establishment and then he ran,” another man on the same call explained.
“I have an individual who has been running around breaking windows and has beat up a couple of guests at the Four Seasons, as well,” said one caller from the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach Hilton.
Allen had lost one of his arms after a car crash on the A57 near Sheffield in December 1984. In November last year, the drummer told Page Six that he had to re-teach himself how to play drums.
