A 75-year-old military veteran in Michigan died months after being in a coma after he was punched by a DoorDash driver. Lloyd Poole never woke up after the incident, as the punch caused traumatic brain injuries.

The DoorDash driver, identified as 40-year-old Ryan Turner, was charged with aggravated assault. The doctors removed a part of Poole’s skull, hoping it would help him recover. However, his injury was too severe for recovery. Despite seven brain surgeries after the December incident, Poole died on May 16. This may now lead to upgraded charges on Turner.

According to Fox 2 Detroit, the DoorDash driver punched the veteran in a road rage incident. The police reached the Barberry Circle and Windingway Drive at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 28, 2025. The police noticed the veteran was unresponsive on the road. Earlier, Poole had confronted the driver for overspeeding in the neighborhood.

Jen Shaw, Poole’s daughter, revealed that he was walking the dogs when he spotted the overspeeding vehicle. She noted, “The guy sped past, and my dad called out to him that he needed to slow down.”

The altercation between the two was captured on a neighbor’s security camera. Turner stopped his vehicle and got out. They argued and then Turner punched him. He admitted that he punched Poole but claimed self-defense. After Turner punched him, Poole fell and hit his head, leading to more injury. Jen Shaw has called this an excuse and pointed out, “It’s not like he initiated any physical contact. He told the guy to slow down, and this guy is claiming self-defense — it’s ridiculous.”

Furthermore, she added, “People are crazy. You cannot anticipate how people are going to react, obviously.” At that time, Turner felt threatened when he punched Poole. The police confirmed he drove away and left Poole on the road. Later, the accused was arrested and taken to Oakland County Jail. He was charged with aggravated assault after he admitted to the crime.

After Poole died, the prosecutors released a statement, “Our office was saddened to learn of Lloyd Poole’s passing. We will continue to seek justice for the Poole family. We are reviewing the case against his alleged assailant and may amend charges as appropriate based on the evidence.”

Turner also has previous assault charges from 2022. He also has several driving offenses tied to an invalid and suspended license. DoorDash condemned the assault and stated that the company has zero tolerance for violence.