Former Anthrax Singer Dan Nelson Arrested for Assault of Elderly Man [Update]
Update: Attorney Marc Isaak, who has represented Nelson in a past civil suit, told the New York Daily News, "I've seen the video, and what they're saying is not correct. I can tell you that there was no bloody altercation. That's completely false." Nelson's criminal defense lawyer, Michael Arbeit, declined to comment.
Former Anthrax vocalist Dan Nelson was arrested Wednesday (Sept. 11) in New York and charged with assault and harassment after an altercation involving an elderly man. Nelson fronted the "big four" thrash metal outfit from 2007 until 2009 following current singer Joey Belladonna's second exit from the band.
As reported by Patch, Nelson is accused of attacking the 74-year-old man last month (Aug. 30) inside the Aloft New York LaGuardia Airport Hotel in East Elmhurst, Queens. That night, police responded to an assault in which the victim was treated for minor injuries after the attacker escaped on foot. Leading up to the incident, the victim apparently asked Nelson a question, which somehow seemed to provoke the musician.
The attacker reportedly punched the man in the face repeatedly, according to the New York Post. Nelson turned himself in to police at NYPD's 115th Precinct early Wednesday, where he was charged with assault, assault with intent to cause physical injury and harassment, a spokeswoman with the NYPD told Patch.
A family member of the victim was nearby during the altercation. ("He just goes bananas," they described. "He knocked the old guy down.") The victim stands around 5-foot-3 and has a heart condition, they said.
As noted by Consequence of Sound, Nelson and his band apparently had a gig that night at the hotel, where the elderly victim was also present to watch a friend play drums. The aforementioned family member and witness said that Nelson seemed "off" during the gig, taking a long time to tune his guitar.
In 2012, Anthrax settled a lawsuit with Nelson after the short-lived singer sued the band for defamation of character the previous year. He sought $2.65 million in damages from his former bandmates. Nelson never performed on an Anthrax album but does have songwriting credits on 2011's Worship Music, the album that almost featured involvement from Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor.
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