The one-armed drummer for the British rock band Def Leppard was assaulted just outside a hotel in Florida, where the band was touring.

Rick Allen, 59, was smoking outside the Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale, a day after the band played at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel, when he was suddenly attacked out of the blue.

Max Hartley, 19, was arrested and charged on felony counts in the incident this week, which also involved an assault on a Good Samaritan.

ABC News reported, citing a police report. that Mr. Hartley came up from behind Mr. Allen and threw his head to the ground.

According to the police report, Mr. Hartley then began hitting a woman who tried to intervene and dragged her by her hair.

Mr. Hartley, who was arrested a short time after the attack, has been charged with abuse of an elderly or disabled adult, ABC reported.

Mr. Allen lost his left arm in a 1984 auto accident, shortly after Def Leppard became one of the world’s most popular bands.

After a hiatus of more than 18 months, Def Leppard returned to touring with Mr. Allen still the drummer, using specially designed drum sets. To this day, he uses electronic and acoustic kits that let his legs do work a drummer’s left arm usually does.

The group remained as popular as ever and had some of its biggest hits — like “Love Bites” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me” — after Mr. Allen lost his arm.

• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.