Anytime you go to a local nightspot, you probably expect that there will be security in place to help keep everyone safe who wants to relax and have a good time. In most cases, security personnel are available to help deal with altercations and other issues. For one man, walking through a nightspot parking lot shortly after midnight led to an incident that ultimately ended in his death.
The victim in this case was walking in the parking lot of the El Cielo Azul bar in Okeechobee, when a man walking in front of him turned around and hit him in the face. The man who hit the victim reportedly had a beer bottle in one hand, but a witness isn’t sure if that was used in the attack. The witness also reports that there was no apparent reason for the attack.
When he was hit in the face, the victim fell backwards. He hit the back of his head on the asphalt. When police officers responded, the man’s breathing was labored and heavy. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed when the victim went into cardiac arrest. He was too unstable for air transport, so he was taken by ambulance to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center. He was diagnosed with a subdural bleed near the rear of his brain and later died at the hospital.
The alleged attacker in this case was arrested on aggravated battery and is being held on a $200,000 bond at the Okeechobee County Jail. There is a chance this charge will change once the autopsy report is received from the medical examiner.
What happened to this victim was tragic. If it is found that this incident might have been caused by inadequate security, the victim’s family might be able to seek compensation from the bar for their loss. Any compensation awarded won’t lessen the heartache they feel, but it might help to soften the financial blow the man’s medical care and death have placed upon them.
Source: Florida.NewsZap.com, “Man dies after early Monday parking lot fight at Okeechobee night spot” Eric Kopp, Jan. 28, 2014