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Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen allegedly assaulted by Ohio teen outside Florida hotel

Max Hartley, 19, was charged with two counts of battery, four counts of criminal mischief, and a count of abusing an elderly or disabled adult.
Credit: Evan Agostini
Rick Allen, of Def Leppard, arrives at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Barclays Center on Friday, March 29, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A 19-year-old man from Avon is facing charges after allegedly attacking Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen outside of a Fort Lauderdale, Florida hotel on Monday.

According to a report from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, the incident happened outside of the Four Seasons Hotel's valet area. While Allen was having a cigarette, Max Hartley watched him from behind a pole. Police say Hartley then got a running start and knocked the one-armed Allen backwards, causing him to hit his head on the ground.

Police say a woman tried to assist Allen, but was also knocked down by Hartley, who continued to strike her while she was on the ground. The woman attempted to flee into the hotel lobby, but was grabbed by the hair by Hartley and dragged back outside to the sidewalk. According to officers, Hartley then fled the scene and went to the nearby Conrad hotel, where he damaged several vehicles in the parking lot before finally being taken into custody.

The 59-year-old Allen lost an arm in a 1984 traffic accident in the UK. He and Def Leppard had just played a concert with Motley Crue the night before the assault in Florida. Def Leppard was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

According to Rolling Stone, Hartley was charged with two counts of battery, four counts of criminal mischief, and a count of abusing an elderly or disabled adult. Records show Hartley is a 2022 graduate of St. Ignatius High School, where he played football and lacrosse for the Wildcats. 

A portion of the police report was shared with 3News and can be seen below.

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