The Portland Police Bureau has arrested the man connected to a recent “racially motivated” attack on a Black food truck owner.
The suspect was arrested, charged with a second-degree assault and booked in the Multnomah County Jail.
Authorities arrested Daniel Thomas Warren on Sunday, July 2, after he was spotted by two officers who saw him walking on the 12300 block of Southeast Division Street, according to KPTV.
On that morning, around 7:30 a.m., the cops were assisting Portland Fire & Rescue with traffic control and identified the man based on a photograph circulated by law enforcement on Thursday, June 29.
A week earlier, on Thursday, June 15, Darrell Preston was attacked and suffered a broken nose, fractured face and cuts to his eyes and mouth at the hands of Warren, police say.
Police spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Allen said four days after the assault that detectives on the force from the Police Bureau’s Major Crimes Unit officially classified the attack as a biased crime.
A surveillance video showed Warren kicking and beating Preston outside of where his food truck LoRell’s Chicken Shack was set up for the day. After beating the man to a pulp, the video shows him casually walking away.
Preston was so brutally beaten that one of his eyes was almost completely swollen shut with blood leaking from it. The other eye also was bruised black with puffiness all around it. The pictures also show his lips were busted and protruding from the swelling.
Alicia LeDuc Montgomery, the victim’s lawyer, said she has been in communication with the family about the PPB apprehending the suspect.
“The Preston Family is relieved the attacker has been taken into custody,” she said.
A GoFundMe set up for Preston’s medical costs, legal expenses, and future “business costs associated with him being unable to work his food cart” exceeded its original goal of $10,000.
Thanks to the community, the crowdfunding campaign has raised almost $84,000 in donations.
The same day that the PPD arrested Warren, Preston and his family returned to work with LoRell’s Chicken Shack. The reopening was a joyous occasion complete with a live deejay, DJ Luv One.
One customer could not help but celebrate Preston’s resilience on Instagram, saying, “Can’t keep a good man down. Welcome back !!”
Another added, “Protect our food vendors.”
Overwhelmingly, his supporters were glad that he was doing better.
