Florida man attacks woman, 70, over handicapped-parking space at beach

A 70-year-old woman was injured on Easter Sunday 2018. Michael Clements, 53, allegedly attacked Myra Muir, 70, over a handicapped-parking space. Clements was upset, he said, because he, his wife and his autistic son had waited 10 minutes for the spot. Clements was arrested and charged with burglary and battery.

LAKE WORTH —A 70-year-old woman was injured Sunday morning after a Wellington man attacked her over a handicapped parking space at the Lake Worth Beach, according to Palm Beach County sheriff’s authorities.

That man, 53-year-old Michael Clements, “yanked open” Myra Muir’s car door at about 10 a.m., grabbed her shoulder and twisted her arm, Muir said. The longtime Lake Worth resident said Clements tried to throw her out of the car.

Clements was upset, he said, because he, his wife and autistic son had waited 10 minutes for that particular parking space at the lot off South Ocean Boulevard.

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Clements was arrested on charges of burglary and battery on someone older than 65. As of Monday afternoon, he remained in the Palm Beach County Jail in lieu of a $10,000 bond. A woman who answered his phone said she did not wish to comment on the arrest.

Clements does not appear to have a criminal history in Palm Beach County.

Muir told The Post she’d driven to the beach Easter morning to clear her head. She pulled into the handicapped parking space with her handicapped placard displayed, and a stranger came screaming toward her, she said, hurling profanities and insults as he did.

“Who fights at the beach on Easter Sunday?” Muir said. “He shook me like a rag doll.”

An off-duty deputy saw Clements reach inside the woman’s car. The deputy rushed to Clements’ car and pulled his key out of the ignition so Clements wouldn’t try to flee.

Clements told authorities he reached into Muir’s car because he wanted to grab the woman’s keys so she wouldn’t leave the lot, either. He wanted to notify law enforcement about the parking dispute, he said. He denied ever touching Muir.

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Both the Clements and Muir had proper handicap placards, authorities noted.

Clements’ wife said she yelled for him to come back to the car.

Muir yelled for him to stop. A day after the attack, she said she has a sore shoulder and cuts on her arm and hand. She plans to see a doctor Monday afternoon.

Muir said she has visited the beach for years and never experienced anything like what happened Sunday. She is looking into a lawsuit against Clements and hopes he will be prosecuted as severely as possible.

“I’m not going to let any other old person be treated like I was,” she said. “I’m going to fight this.”