Dad, 12-year-old son beat up 84-year-old man in Target parking lot

[HipChick]

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=158785&catid=250

Police arrested a 53-year-old Delray Beach man and his 12-year-old son on felony charges Thursday after an 84-year-old man was punched, thrown to the ground and kicked in the groin in a Target parking lot confrontation caught on surveillance video.

Delray Beach police say the victim, Lawrence Blank, of Delray Beach, was loading items into the rear of his car Sunday when a silver Corvette with the tag QUIK SL started backing out on the opposite side of the parking aisle. The Corvette nearly struck Blank and his car, prompting a bystander to yell "Watch out."

Police say Blank asked the man why he almost hit him, after which the driver later identified as Barry Arthur Hochstadt, replied with "---- you!" Blank asked Hochstadt to move his car so he could leave, and Hochstadt reportedly replied with "Make me!"

Blank told police he walked toward the Corvette and pointed at Hochstadt saying "Move your damn vehicle!" and got the same response from Hochstadt. At this point police say the passenger, later identified as Hochstadt's 12-year-old, 92-pound, 5'2" son exited the Corvette wearing a Ravens jersey and threatened to "beat the ----" out of Blank if he said anything more to his father.

Blank told the boy to get back in the car, and Blank says the boy responded by shoving him into his car and onto the ground, standing over him and punching him repeatedly in the jaw. Hochstadt exited the Corvette and kicked Blank in the groin, Blank told police. At that point, the store's loss prevention officer arrived and helped Blank get up while Hochstadt and his son returned to the Corvette and left the scene.

[slackmaster]

1. I expect that kind of behavior from BMW drivers

Most people who drive Corvettes are very nice.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. My sister and her husband both drive BMWs

They are also lifelong Democrats and generous donors to charities. And very nice people.

My best friend in high school's brother was a corvette owner who raped a girl when he was 17.

[HipChick]

8. Funniest thing I ever saw was a corvetter owner getting decked by a female marine

because he tried to grab her breasts. He was out cold too, when he came to he said "Damn, I didn't know she used to be a Marine"...

[Maine-ah]

10. lol, no shit...

like the type of vehicle can tell what a person is like.

I drive an suv. Not a monster one, but an suv non-the-less.

[Warpy]

28. In the mid 60s, you had to watch out for Ford Mustangs

because the driver was about 80% likely to be a total asshole.

Other than that, most makes are a mix of good and bad.

I've even seen a few arrogant jerks driving Mini Coopers.

[Ter]

40. That's still the case with Mustang V8 owners

n/t

[DesertFlower]

50. i had a 1966 candy apple red ford mustang.

paid $2,614 out the door. it was a sharp car.

[KansasVoter]

30. It is a status thing. No doubt.

[Supply Side Jesus]

60. stero types suck, don't they?

so unfair....huh?

[HipChick]

6. Actually Audi drivers are the worst, followed by Mercedes drivers

I find most BMW drivers pleasant

[rfranklin]

11. I concur, Audi is a "bad driver" make...

I don't know why that would be. Something to do with their marketing?

I found Mercury Cougars to be a bad driver car in the past.

[louis-t]

16. I will never forget the woman in the Cougar

who was ahead of me for miles and kept falling asleep at every light. She was most likely drunk as she was weaving all over the road. At one point, I got impatient and started to go around her after she nodded off (right in front of the police station). She awoke and hit the gas, cutting me off and forcing me into the turning lane. Guess who got the ticket.

[Nailzberg]

34. Agreed. I was actually looking at Audis.

But I noticed the drivers on the road who I typically thought were jerks were almost always driving Audis.

Admittedly, I drive like a jerk a lot of the time, too. So if I think someone else is a jerk, they must really be a big time jerk.

[BlueIris]

69. I *hate* Audi drivers. Hate. One of the single most unpleasant driving experiences

I have yet had was with an Audi asshat. Audies are shit cars, anyway.

And I agree about BMW drivers. They'll cut you off, but not without at least a little safety room. Mercedes drivers? Not so much. The single biggest reason I didn't buy a Mercedes this year is because one of the jerks from the dealership (in a company car no less) cut me off in five p.m. traffic back in October.

[DesertFlower]

14. that's crazy. you can't judge a person

by the kind of car they drive. my husband drives a porsche carrera 911 and a toyota tundra pickup truck. 2 completely different kinds of vehicles. what does that say about him?

about 10 years ago he drove a corvette.

[slackmaster]

17. Aw come on. How many times have DUers bashed people who drive Hummers?

It's institutionalized prejudice.

[OregonBlue]

21. Your point being?? LOL

[slackmaster]

22. The type of car a person drives is the result of a choice. My observation is based on experience.

In my personal experience, a lot of people who choose BMWs are jackasses. This is based on decades of driving on California freeways nearly every day.

I was physically attacked by a road-rager once. He was driving a BMW. I've never had a bad encounter with someone driving a Corvette.

I rented a Corvette for a three-day weekend once. I was delighted at the camaraderie among Corvette drivers. Other Corvette drivers smiled and waved.

[KansasVoter]

32. The 911 is because he is arrogant!

[DesertFlower]

48. wrong. he's a nice, kind, gentle,

charitable person. he worked hard all his life and still works. at age 62 he bought his dream car with cash.

i drive a mazda miata, would you like to tell me something about myself?

[WhiteTara]

65. you're a small person who travels

light!
;)

[DesertFlower]

66. you're right. i love that car.

i feel like they had my body in mind when they designed it.

[City Lights]

20. Nice broad brush you're painting with there.

:eyes:

[Archae]

35. H2 drivers are *THE* worst.

Everything, the road, the parking lot, everything is *THEIRS.* :grr:

[Glassunion]

39. You sir are soooo wrong with your broad brush.

I drive a BMW not because I'm an agressive ass hole. I drive one because I have a small penis.

So are you saying it had nothing to do with the Ravens jersey?

[awoke_in_2003]

58. 53 year old man + Corvette...

= serious midlife crisis, hence the hyper-aggressiveness to prove he is still a "man"

[Raine]

67. Wasted all that money on a Corvette and still didn't

feel like "a man" it took beating up a 80+ man to try and acheive that ... pretty PATHETIC.

[druidity33]

62. old corvettes, yes.

New ones, not so much.

:shrug:

[gratuitous]

2. Not exactly the brightest thugs in the lot, are they?

If you're going to indulge a life of crime, don't buy vanity plates.

[blondeatlast]

53. No kidding. nt

[AspenRose]

3. I'd like to be able to go to the story directly

so I can post it on my FB page, as a reminder of why I hate this time of year. Thank you

(Done! Thanks again :hi: )

[WillyT]

13. Here Ya Go... Let's Make Him Famous (Picture Of "Dad" Here) !!!

Barry Arthur Hochstadt

Link: http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=158785&catid=250

:puke:

[blondeatlast]

54. No middle-age crazy compensation issues there, nope...

None t'all.

(for the impaired, this post is :sarcasm:)

[Kennah]

5. And the new punchline is ...

Porcupines have pricks on the outside. Corvettes have them on the inside.

[somone]

7. Lovely family:

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=158785&catid=250

[Ilsa]

12. The "kid" goes to a charter school. I guess bullying is a course at it. nt

[surrealAmerican]

38. Going by his father's behavior ...

... he didn't need to take that course at school.

[Truth2Tell]

44. Why are they releasing photo and name

of an accused juvenile? I'm not entirely cool with that, even if he's a worthless little punk.

[NuclearDem]

45. +1000

Even if he is a douche, he's just a kid. That's actually illegal, I think.

[blondeatlast]

55. Agreed. Spread dad's face all over the interwebs, but there may be hope for the kid. nt

[Taverner]

9. What is it with FL drivers?

When I was in West Palm Beach, drivers were obnoxious and very quick to remind you pedestrians do not have any kind of right of way, anywhere really, in FL

[siligut]

15. When the police went to their apartment they lied through their teeth

Police spoke with the boy and his father on Thanksgiving Day, spotting the QUIK SL tag inside Hochstadt's apartment, and both described Blank as the aggressor. The boy said he lost his temper because Blank reached inside the Corvette and touched his father; he said only fought the man after Blank grabbed him by the throat and threatened to slap him.

Hochstadt, a New York native and salesman for an Atlanta business described by police as 5'6" and 240 pounds with a Corvette tattoo on his right shoulder, told police his only involvement was to diffuse the situation and that he never hit Blank. He said he didn't report the incident because he thought the man was uninjured and the confrontation was not important. When asked about the Corvette tags, Hochstadt said he switched them only because the QUIK SL tag was expired, not because he was hiding anything. Police determined the tag was valid through 2011 but not assigned to a vehicle.

Based on the statements of all three and the Target employee who witnessed the confrontation, plus the surveillance video, the father and son were arrested Thursday. Hochstadt remains lodged in Palm Beach County jail on felony charges of battery on a person older than 65, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and property damage for dents and scratches to Blank's 2011 Chevy Equinox.

His son, a student at a charter school in Anaheim, Calif., was arrested on felony charge of battery on a person older than 65 and criminal mischief and lodged in juvenile hall.

Still think they can lie and get away with it! These predators have yet to change their MO with the onset of video monitoring.

[LiberalFighter]

18. I do hope both suffer major consequences for their actions.

[elleng]

19. Excellent! Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas + Happy New Year, you s.o.bs!

'Hochstadt remains lodged in Palm Beach County jail on felony charges of battery on a person older than 65, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and property damage for dents and scratches to Blank's 2011 Chevy Equinox.

His son, a student at a charter school in Anaheim, Calif., was arrested on felony charge of battery on a person older than 65 and criminal mischief and lodged in juvenile hall.'

PS, I drive an old toyo wagon, which I received from my folks when they decided they shouldn't drive any longer, in West Palm. PPS, Dad just turned 97.

[peacetalksforall]

24. I went to see my Dad on Thanksgiving weekend, pushed and kicked an old man, and

got put into a Juvenile Hall and my father couldn't come to get me. What did you do?. Was Thanksgiving nice for you?

(I should wait to hear the other side of the story, particularly any touching the older man did, but I'll post this anyway - don't know why).

[siligut]

33. The other side of the story is on video.

You don't need to wait. After viewing the video and hearing from an eye witness, the father and son were found to be at fault. The father even removed his vanity license plate when he got home, trying to hide, like he could hide...the whole thing stinks. This kid would probably brag about it; you are right.

[lib_wit_it]

59. Not every story has more than one side.

[madmom]

23. What?.............

walmart shoppers at target?:sarcasm: This is for all those who come on directly after a story about an incident at walmart and say "another reason not to shop at walmart" or "typical walmart shopper". See as I've been saying over and over it happens EVERYWHERE! It's not the particular establishment but the mentality of the people, I've seen all kinds at all kinds of stores.

[Angry Dragon]

25. Target gives to the republicans and anti-gay groups

[Obamanaut]

27. Exclusively to republicans, or to both parties as well as non-partisan

groups?

[Angry Dragon]

29. In Minnesota they have a law that says donations have to be public

no hiding. They got caught giving a pretty big donation to an anti-gay group.
They may give to the dems, not sure.

[Obamanaut]

31. Google 'target political donations' - they give to both parties, non partisan,

and individuals.

I think most big companies do. Keeps the wheels greased for future favors.

[Cirque du So-What]

26. I thought the Palin thread admonishing people for starting Palin threads was stoopid

but this one has even stoopider commentary from those who attempt to pigeonhole people based on what sort of vehicle they drive.

[EarthFirster]

36. Cars and stereotypes?

Lets see the statistics. Not sure how you would figure out statistically who are the asshole drivers as related to cars. I could easily say its a Floridian problem. Generally, that is why the South is known for manners, or this thing would be happening every day. Higher testosterone in Southern Males makes them more susceptible to rage.

[Gaedel]

41. Not a southerner

This is Palm Beach County and the guy looks like a NY or NJ transplant.

Southerners don't live in Palm Beach County.

[blondeatlast]

56. He is a NY transplant; it says so in another report upthread. nt

[Nevernose]

42. Florida is unclaimed by either side of the culture wars

That place is weird. They have weird ways of doing things, weird ways of behaving, and are just generally odd down there.

[tblue37]

51. Maybe people should have to register as a**holes or

non-a**holes whenever they buy a car. There would be an a**hole and non-a**hole list of cars--brands, models, years. You could find your car on the list, to learn whether you have to register as an a**hole or get to register as a non-a**hole.

BTW, what if you buy a different kind of car the next time you buy a car; do you have to switch lists? Or is it like being a sexual predator--once convicted, you have to register as a sexual predator. So once you've bought an a**hole car, you have to register as an a**hole for the rest of your life, even if you someday decide to buy a non-a**hole car.

I mean, once an a**hole, always an a**hole--right?

[RamboLiberal]

37. $750 damage to victim's car from his body hitting it

Blank, who lives west of Delray Beach, was left badly bruised -- with $750 in damage to his 2011 Chevy Equinox caused from his body getting slammed against it.

After reviewing surveillance video, police traced the Corvette with the vanity license plate "Quikslver" to the Hochstadt's Delray Beach residence, but there was a different plate on the car. Police found the minor waving a toy gun around in his yard and wearing the same Baltimore Ravens jersey he has on in the surveillance video.

The suspects told police Blank hadn't pointed through the Corvette's window but that he did flick Hochstadt on the chin, and that's how the altercation began.

"He smacked me in the face and my (relative) got all freaked out that someone hit ," Hochstadt said Friday, after being released from jail on his own recognizance. "I never touched the guy; I just wanted to intercede between them…I'm very sad that this happened it should have never escalated."

Hochstadt was arrested in Broward County in 2008 on a battery charge, records show. Details of that arrest were not available Friday. After the alleged attack on Sunday, Hochstadt said the boy was crying in the car, saying Blank tried to strangle him.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/delray-beach/fl-delray-beating-20101126,0,1149730.story

Video of the victim talking about the attack at this link. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/delray-beach/fl-delray-beating-20101126,0,1149730.story

Hope they lock this jerk up for a long time and that kid needs anger management intervention.

[siligut]

64. I watched the video of the victim talking about the attack.

I would much prefer to watch the surveillance video of the altercation in the parking lot. Fear and other emotions tend to affect perception and while I believe the old guy was the victim of hyped-up jerks, he seems to be skewing the information in his account.

[NuclearDem]

43. Wait...since when do we judge people by the cars they drive?

I've driven or owned an H2, a Dodge Ram, a Lincoln Town Car, a Subaru Legacy, a Subaru Outback, a Honda Civic, and a Mazda 626.

Do I just suffer from mood swings or something then? My H2 was purely an off-road vehicle (used on legal off-road trails) heavily-modified to be as environmentally-friendly as a Hummer can get...am I a jackass too?

[PavePusher]

68. It goes on all the time around here. n/t

[Canuckistanian]

46. Charming family.

Simply charming. The wife and mother must be so proud.

[Mimosa]

47. OMG, the details are sickening.

Excerpt from OP link:

Hochstadt, a New York native and salesman for an Atlanta business described by police as 5'6" and 240 pounds with a Corvette tattoo on his right shoulder, told police his only involvement was to diffuse the situation and that he never hit Blank. He said he didn't report the incident because he thought the man was uninjured and the confrontation was not important. When asked about the Corvette tags, Hochstadt said he switched them only because the QUIK SL tag was expired, not because he was hiding anything. Police determined the tag was valid through 2011 but not assigned to a vehicle.

Based on the statements of all three and the Target employee who witnessed the confrontation, plus the surveillance video, the father and son were arrested Thursday. Hochstadt remains lodged in Palm Beach County jail on felony charges of battery on a person older than 65, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and property damage for dents and scratches to Blank's 2011 Chevy Equinox.

His son, a student at a charter school in Anaheim, Calif., was arrested on felony charge of battery on a person older than 65 and criminal mischief and lodged in juvenile hall.

[theophilus]

49. Looking at the majority of the posters here, I guess we'll have to hunt up a

compassionate conservative if we want any empathy/sympathy. :shrug: "?"

[alphafemale]

61. Sympathy for Gramps Nad kickers? Yeah. You might have to collect tears down the street

Seriously?

[flvegan]

52. "QUIK SL"????

I'm a loser that doesn't update my personal tags when I switch car marques.

And a Corvette tat? Sweet Jesus, just don't do it.

[jillan]

57. What the hell is wrong with people these days????

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[malaise]

63. I saw this on Florida TV news

The son is as ignorant as his father.