A 75-year-old military veteran remained in a coma Tuesday after authorities say a DoorDash driver punched him during a confrontation about speeding on a residential street last week. The driver, identified by police as Ryan Turner, 40, has been charged with aggravated assault and released on bond while the investigation continues.
The case has drawn wide attention in suburban Detroit, where neighbors say they are shaken by the sudden violence. Police described the incident as a brief street encounter that ended with a single blow and a hard fall to the pavement. The victim, identified by family as Lloyd Poole, underwent emergency brain surgery and has not regained consciousness, relatives said. DoorDash said the driver has been permanently removed from its platform and the company is cooperating with investigators. Turner faces a misdemeanor charge while detectives review evidence and await updates on Poole’s condition.
Officers were called around 5:21 p.m. on Dec. 28 to the area of Barberry Circle and Windingway Drive after 911 callers reported an elderly man lying unconscious in the roadway, police said. Family members told reporters Poole had stepped from his driveway to tell a motorist to slow down through the neighborhood. Investigators say Turner, who was delivering food in the area, got out of his vehicle and confronted Poole before striking him once with a closed fist. Poole fell backward and hit his head on the asphalt. “Punched him right in the side of the head. My dad fell, never got up, never moved,” Poole’s daughter, Jen Shaw, said in an interview, adding that the driver left immediately.
Police said Turner later went to the Wixom Police Department and admitted he was confronted about speeding and threw the punch, telling officers he felt threatened during the exchange. He also acknowledged driving away afterward, according to officials. Turner was booked into the Oakland County Jail and arraigned on one count of aggravated assault. Records show his bond was set at $35,000, 10% cash or surety. The Wixom Fire Department assisted at the scene as officers provided initial aid before medics transported Poole to a hospital, where surgeons removed a portion of his skull to relieve swelling caused by a brain bleed. As of Tuesday, authorities had not released a medical update beyond confirming he remained hospitalized.
Court records cited by local outlets indicate Turner has prior cases involving assault and driving offenses, including a 2022 assault that resulted in a lesser conviction and license issues. Police called last week’s encounter a possible road-rage incident but have not alleged the use of a weapon beyond the punch. The charge filed is a misdemeanor carrying up to one year in jail. Officials said the current count reflects the information available at charging and could be re-evaluated if Poole’s condition changes or additional evidence emerges. DoorDash said the incident was “appalling” and that the driver’s access to its app has been permanently revoked while the company provides information to detectives.
Wixom is a city of about 18,000 in Oakland County, bordered by subdivisions where narrow streets tee into busier corridors. Neighbors said traffic can pick up during rush hours as drivers cut through to avoid lights. Family members described Poole as a longtime volunteer who kept an eye on the block, checking on older residents and clearing sidewalks after snowstorms. In interviews outside the hospital, Shaw said her father suffered a black eye and severe head trauma and has not responded to commands. She and other relatives have been taking shifts by his bed. “He’s not responding. He can’t talk. He’s not awake,” Shaw said.
Procedurally, Turner was arraigned on Dec. 31. Attorneys expect routine pretrial conferences in district court in the coming weeks. Prosecutors said they will review surveillance video, nearby doorbell footage and any new witness statements. Investigators are also mapping dispatch records and canvassing the block for additional angles that may capture the moment of the punch and the direction the vehicle traveled afterward. Authorities did not announce a timeline for a charging decision beyond the current count, and a formal hearing date was not posted as of Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday, yellow tape still ringed a section of pavement where neighbors had placed a small bouquet. Mail carriers and delivery vans rolled past slower than usual. A man walking his dog stopped to talk about Poole, calling him “the friendly guy who waves from the porch.” Another neighbor said she heard the sirens around dusk and later saw police knocking on doors for video. “It was one second and it changed everything,” she said. Outside the hospital, a veteran who knows Poole from volunteer events said, “Lloyd shows up. If there’s a flag-raising or a food drive, he’s there. We’re praying he pulls through.”
As of Tuesday evening, Poole remained hospitalized in critical condition. Police said they will release the next case update after a scheduled court filing and once additional evidence is reviewed in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated January 6, 2026.