84 Year-Old Vet Has Neck Broken By Officer...

ORLANDO -- 

An elderly man is in critical condition after being thrown to the ground by a police officer.
 
It happened Saturday night near North Orange Avenue after police say Daniel Daley put his hands on the cop.

The World War II veteran is out of surgery.  He suffered an injury doctors at Florida Hospital say only about 10 percent of people are lucky enough to survive.

Daley left the Caboose Bar and headed to his car across the street Saturday night.
    
Witnesses say the 84-year-old was upset when he saw his car was about to be towed.
    
The Ivanhoe Grocery owner recently posted signs warning drivers because customers of other businesses were parking in their spots.
    
Several people, who didn't want to go on camera, say it has led to plenty of arguments the past few weeks, but none with the potentially deadly consequences that happened Saturday.    
    
The police were called and say Daley, who'd been drinking, put his hands on the officer.
    
Witnesses say he put his hands on the officer three times and the cop warned him to stop each time.
    
Police say Daley made a fist and said ‘I'm not leaving until I knock this cop out.’

Another witness says the officer then violently hip checked him and took him to the ground.

Daley ended up in Florida Hospital with a broken neck.

The old guy was wrong, dead wrong. Then again, he's an old guy and most of the time they ARE wrong. Knocking him to the pavement was uncalled for, but this isn't yesteryear, back when the old guy grew up, back when cops respected the elderly.

Now he knows, but too painful a lesson at that age. As a volunteer driver for the aged I have dealt with many old men who wanted to vent by taking a poke at me. Never had to deck one, never could have lived with myself after decking one.

But cops are hourly told how special how important how intricate they are to ticketing motorists for going 2 miles over the speed limit keeping the peace and will do whatever they can get away with.