Paul Bissonnette attacker indicted for assaulting former Coyotes player
Dec 10, 2024, 2:48 PM
A man accused of attacking former Coyotes player and NHL analyst Paul Bissonnette was indicted last Tuesday. Sean Michael Daley was charged after “engaging in violent and disruptive behavior and causing injury” to Bissonnette while the victim’s “capacity to resist was impaired,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced Tuesday.
The aggravated assault charge is a class six felony, the least severe. Daley also was indicted on a class one misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.
Three others were charged at the county level with the attack on Bissonnette on Nov. 24 at a Houston’s restaurant in Scottsdale.
They were originally charged with misdemeanors through the city of Scottsdale but those have since been dismissed. Charges were submitted as felonies through the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and those are now under review.
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Daley was initially booked by Scottsdale Police as well as the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with aggravated assault and forgery (possessing a forged instrument), which are both felonies. He also had a charge of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
How did Paul Bissonnette end up in a fight at a Scottsdale restaurant?
Police said Bissonnette, who played for the Phoenix Coyotes from 2009-14, tried to help management calm three men who were in an altercation with Houston’s management by getting them to leave. The men then assaulted Bissonnette “inside and outside” the restaurant around 7:30 p.m., according to police.
All three men were arrested and booked on assault and disorderly conduct charges. A total of six people were arrested related to the incident.
Bissonnette said that he tried to help management calm a group of golfers who were aggressively arguing with the restaurant management team about where they were allowed to drink.
The former hockey player, who frequents the restaurant, said he approached the group after two of the men were yelling at the manager and assistant manager. Bissonnette on his Spittin’ Chiclets podcast (explicit language) accused the men of being inebriated.
“I walk over, I grab the guy’s arm and I say, ‘Listen, buddy, if you keep harassing and assaulting the staff here, we’re going to go outside and we’re going to have some problems,” Bissonnette said on the podcast. “The minute that left my mouth, the guy besides him starts throwing punches. And next thing you know there’s four guys swinging at me.”
