Man assaults father over 'noisy' child, dad speaks out

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - Four-year-old Sam Bennett’s parents admit, he can be a bit noisy, but they say they never expected it would frustrate a man enough to spark a fight at the Olive Garden restaurant in Delray Beach this weekend.

“He may appear he's being bratty or appear he's being loud when actually he's just trying to deal with the environment he's found himself in,” Sam’s father, Richard Bennett explains.

But as Sam and his extended family finished dinner, a man at a nearby table reportedly stood up and told Richard Bennett to quiet his son.

Bennett claims he explained that Sam has autism but that it did nothing to calm Paul Blankfield’s rage.

Bennett’s wife, Sonia explains, “He said he didn't care that was his..well with profanity…”

That is when the Bennetts say Blankfield charged toward their table.

Sonia explains, “There was no standing up, showdown words, ‘Are you sure you wanna do this,’ I mean, (Blankfield) just pounced on him…my children are between all of this he's charging over them to get to my husband.”

Richard claims Blankfield pushed him to the ground, then punched him in the neck, scaring their youngest son, Nicholas.

“He was trying to knock papa down,” the 3-year-old says.

Other patrons broke up the violence and Blankfield was arrested, charged with simple battery.

He reportedly showed no remorse.

Police claim that on the drive to the Boynton Beach Police Department, he said “Good for him, he gets what he deserved…an autistic kid.”

Blankfield was released from the Palm Beach County jail.

Calls to him were not returned.