A veteran who was in a coma for months has died after authorities say he was severely injured when a DoorDash driver allegedly attacked and sucker punched him.
Suffering a brain bleed with part of his skull removed, 75-year-old Lloyd Poole had been in the hospital since December, according to a report from FOX 2 Detroit.
Police say 40-year-old Ryan Turner is the man who threw the punch. FOX 2 reported it occurred in a Wixom, Michigan, neighborhood.
Investigators say Poole yelled at Turner for driving too fast through the neighborhood, to which Turner allegedly violently responded, punching Poole and knocking him to the ground.
Poole’s daughter, Jen Shaw, told Fox News Digital that her father was an Army veteran, with a passion for honoring fallen service members.
She said, “He lost his life. His family and his friends lost him for something so stupid.”
A court records search indicates this is not Turner’s first run-in with the law; he was arrested in 2022 in connection with another alleged road-rage incident.
Lindsay Gonzalez, Poole’s stepdaughter, told Fox News Digital that he underwent seven different brain surgeries during his time in the hospital.
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office said, “Our office was saddened to learn of Lloyd Poole’s passing. We will continue to seek justice for the Poole family. We are reviewing the case against his alleged assailant and may amend charges as appropriate based on the evidence.”
Turner faces an aggravated assault charge and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on June 17. It was not immediately clear if Turner had an attorney.
Shaw said she is hopeful that charges will be upgraded.
The tragedy brings back childhood memories with her late father.
“He sailed for decades,” she said. “A lot of my memories are sailing with my dad.”
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for DoorDash said, “This is a heartbreaking loss and our hearts are with the victim’s family and loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time. We have attempted to reach the family directly to offer our support and remain fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement as they pursue justice for Mr. Poole.”
