A 19-year-old Ohio resident has been identified as the alleged assailant and arrested for attacking the 59-year-old English musician when he's smoking cigarette outside the Four Seasons Hotel.
- Mar 17, 2023
AceShowbiz - Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen got injured in an apparent sneak attack by a stranger in Florida. The one-armed drummer suffered a head injury after he was violently assaulted by a teen outside a hotel on Monday, March 13.
According to a police report, the English musician was smoking a cigarette outside the Four Seasons Hotel in Fort Lauderdale Beach, South Florida near the valet as the assailant was hiding behind a pole. The man then ran at the drummer at full speed and struck Rick, causing him to fall backward and hit his head on the ground.
A woman came out to help Rick, but the teen also attacked the woman. He knocked her to the ground before repeatedly striking her. She was able to run back into the hotel, but was followed by the assailant, who allegedly grabbed her by the hair and dragged her outside.
The man, who has been identified as Max Hartley, a 19-year-old Ohio resident visiting Florida for Spring Break, fled to another hotel nearby, but was later arrested after security at the Conrad hotel found him allegedly damaging numerous cars in their parking garage. He was charged with two counts of battery, four counts of criminal mischief and a count of abusing an elderly or disabled adult. He, however, has been released after posting bail on Tuesday.
Rick and the other Def Leppard members were in South Florida while performing on tour, co-headlining with Motley Crue. The hard rock band had just performed at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino the night before the attack.
Rick lost his left arm in a 1984 car accident. Doctors initially reattached his limb, but then had to amputate it because of an infection. He then had to re-teach himself how to play drums with his right arm and both feet.
"A lot of my peers, a lot of fans, my family... a lot of encouragement, they all tried to help lift me up and then finally I got it," the 59-year-old told Page Six in November. "I got to a point where I realized I can do this... It wasn't until after the fact that I discovered the power of the human spirit and that's what really propelled me to where I am now."
His current condition is unknown as a rep for Def Leppard had no comment on the incident.
