Clay Daves Survives Vicious Attack

Encinitas SRF devotee Clay Daves, who drives passengers for a living, was viciously assaulted by a Lyft customer he picked up in the tri-city area on Sunday, September 2. The suspect, who is very large and very strong, began to strangle Clay and punch him repeatedly in the face. Fortunately, Clay reacted quickly enough to lay on the horn during the attack, which attracted the attention of a woman from Austin, Texas, who was walking back from breakfast with a friend. She had just rounded the corner onto Mission Avenue, heard the horn, ran over and distracted the suspect, which allowed Clay to escape from the car. A few homeless men in the area also rushed over and tried to detain the suspect, but he threw them off easily and roared off, leading police on a high-speed chase until he was stopped and placed into custody.

Clay, who recently turned 80, was in critical condition and underwent surgery to get plates and screws implanted. He had a large blood clot behind his vocal cords that prevented him from breathing on his own, so he was intubated for a few days. He was released from the hospital on Monday, September 10, eight days after the attack (see photo). He’s under doctor’s orders to wear a neck brace for three months and not to drive for three months.

Clay does have health insurance, but it won’t cover all the hospital costs. He will also suffer from loss of income for at least a few months. If you can contribute to this fund to help Clay and Jeanne through this difficult time, it will be greatly appreciated.

Here is an NBC News article about the incident.

Here is an ABC News segment on the attack, which includes an interview with Clay’s wife, Jeanne. 

Thank you for helping my good friend, Clay. Some years back, he was the lead usher at the Pasadena Temple for a few years and was the head usher for the meditation room at the Biltmore when the Self-Realization Fellowship World Convocation was held there.

Phil Bolsta