Ormond Beach attack victim dies days after assault; suspect remains jailed
Ormond Beach attack victim dies days after assault
A 79-year-old man who was critically injured in an attack outside a building that houses Daytona College has died, Ormond Beach police said Wednesday.
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - A 79-year-old man who was critically injured in an attack outside a building that houses Daytona College has died, Ormond Beach police said Wednesday.
Roger Bradley and his wife, Nancy Bradley, 74, were attacked Sept. 20 after responding to a burglary alarm at the building they own. Police confirmed Roger Bradley died Wednesday.
Couple attacked after responding to alarm
The backstory:
According to investigators, the Bradleys found random items inside the building and called 911. While Nancy Bradley was on the phone with dispatchers, the suspect, identified as Michael Hightower, 40, exited the building.
Police said Hightower got into a vehicle, struck Nancy Bradley, then got out and beat both Roger and Nancy Bradley unconscious before fleeing the scene.
Authorities located Hightower about an hour later and took him into custody.
Officer shot at hospital
Police said Hightower was taken to a Daytona Beach hospital for treatment. While hospital staff were preparing him for a scan and his handcuffs had been removed, investigators said he grabbed an Ormond Beach officer's handgun, partially pulled it from the holster and fired one shot.
The bullet struck the officer in the leg, causing a non-life-threatening injury.
‘This really hit home’
What they're saying:
Just two-minute’s down the road from Daytona College sits Manny’s Pizza House, where Roger and Nancy Bradley were regular faces for over 20 years.
Manny’s Pizza House owner Manny Manolas sat down with FOX 35’s Chancelor Winn inside the dining room at the exact table where the couple dined up to four times a week to unwind after work.
"You come in the first time, you’re a customer. The second time, you’re a friend. After that, you become family," Manolas said. "Oh yeah, they were definitely family. That’s an understatement."
Manolas recalled their go-to order, a house salad and a gluten-free pizza, and he remembered how deeply the couple cared for the local community and their students.
"They really cared about kids, and that’s the main reason they opened up the school: to help kids and help the community," Manolas said. "This really hit home."
Charges and investigation
A judge denied Hightower bond on Sept. 22. He faces multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, attempted felony murder, battery on a law enforcement officer, assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence.
Michael Hightower, 40
Police said Hightower worked as a janitor at Daytona College but was not on duty at the time of the alleged attack.
The Ormond Beach Police Department is investigating the assault on the Bradleys, while the Daytona Beach Police Department is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. Authorities have not released a motive.
Following Roger Bradley's death, FOX 35 News reached out to the Office of the State Attorney for the 7th Judicial Circuit regarding whether Hightower's charges will be upgraded to murder. A spokesperson responded in a statement: "We will provide an update once we are able."
The Source: This story was written based on information shared during Michael Hightower's bond hearing on Sept. 22, bodycam video released by law enforcement, and the Daytona Beach Police Department and the Ormond Beach Police Department.