The drummer for Def Leppard was assaulted by a 19-year-old near a Fort Lauderdale hotel on Monday, according to a police report. Def Leppard’s drummer Rick Allen was smoking a cigarette near the valet of the Four Seasons when Max Hartley, who had been concealing himself behind a pole, rushed towards Allen and knocked him down. The hard fall caused Allen to hit his head on the ground, injuring him.
After the attack, a woman came to help Allen, and Hartley attacked her and pushed her to the ground, hitting her multiple times. She was able to return to the hotel, but Hartley grabbed her by her hair and dragged her back outside. Hartley was later arrested by Conrad hotel staff nearby while damaging cars in the parking garage.
Allen reported to the police that he wanted the suspect, Hartley, to be prosecuted. Hartley was later charged with one count of abusing an elderly or disabled person without causing great harm.
It is known that Allen lost his arm in 1984 in a car crash and had to teach himself how to play drums again. Def Leppard performed in Hollywood, Florida, over the weekend with Mötley Crüe.
Police made public 911 calls that led to Hartley’s arrest. In the first call, a security worker from the Four Seasons reported a man assaulting a woman in front of the hotel. Another call was from a man whose restaurant, the Wine Garden, was close to the Four Seasons, and the suspect had been attempting to break into his property.
The last caller, from the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach Hilton, reported someone running around and breaking windows and assaulting people at the Four Seasons.