Dad, 12-year-old son beat up 84-year-old man
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. -- Police arrested a 53-year-old Delray Beach man and his 12-year-old son on felony charges Thursday after an 84-year-old man was punched, thrown to the ground and kicked in the groin in a Target parking lot confrontation caught on surveillance video.
Delray Beach police say the victim, Lawrence Blank, of Delray Beach, was loading items into the rear of his car Sunday when a silver Corvette with the tag QUIK SL started backing out on the opposite side of the parking aisle. The Corvette nearly struck Blank and his car, prompting a bystander to yell "Watch out."
Police say Blank asked the man why he almost hit him, after which the driver later identified as Barry Arthur Hochstadt, replied with "---- you!" Blank asked Hochstadt to move his car so he could leave, and Hochstadt reportedly replied with "Make me!"
Blank told police he walked toward the Corvette and pointed at Hochstadt saying "Move your damn vehicle!" and got the same response from Hochstadt. At this point police say the passenger, later identified as Hochstadt's 12-year-old, 92-pound, 5'2" son exited the Corvette wearing a Ravens jersey and threatened to "beat the ----" out of Blank if he said anything more to his father.
Blank told the boy to get back in the car, and Blank says the boy responded by shoving him into his car and onto the ground, standing over him and punching him repeatedly in the jaw. Hochstadt exited the Corvette and kicked Blank in the groin, Blank told police. At that point, the store's loss prevention officer arrived and helped Blank get up while Hochstadt and his son returned to the Corvette and left the scene.
Police said Blank had injuries to his shoulder, arm and hand and complained of back pain. He also had a large bruise on his inner thigh. In a later interview with police he said he was having difficulty moving his hands, which were black and blue.
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country club worker killed when golfer's tee shot hits him in the head
SANFORD, Fla. -- A worker at a central Florida country club is dead after being struck by a golf ball.
Police say Maurice Hayden was doing maintenance work on the par 5 second hole at the Mayfair Country Club when he was hit by the golfer's tee shot Wednesday. The Mayfair Country Club is in Sanford on Wednesday when he was struck in the temple by a golfer's tee shot.
The 42-year-old man was taken to Central Florida Regional Hospital. Police say he died Thursday after being removed from life support.
Police are calling the incident an accident and say the golfer will not face charges.
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Police wake sleeping driver, who then drives into apartment pool
NORTH LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Police say a man they awoke in an idling parked car suddenly put it in drive, right into a swimming pool.
At 5:40 a.m. Thursday, Broward sheriff's deputies responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle parked in front of an apartment building at the Park Plaza Apartments, 8200 SW 23rd St.
Deputies found a man sleeping behind the wheel of the car with the engine running. The deputies tapped on the window. The man woke up, put the car on drive and slowly began to move forward. The deputies walked with the moving car, asking the driver to stop, when he suddenly stepped on the gas. The car drove through a small playground inside the apartment complex, through the fence of an adjacent apartment complex (Bay Tree Apartments, 8210 SW 22 St.), finally plunging into a pool.
Two deputies jumped into the pool and smashed the car window, helping the now fully alert driver to safety. The driver was identified as Charles Marckenson, 28. Traffic charges are pending as well as toxicology results. Deputies said Marckenson lives at the apartment building where he was initially found.
