Florida Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison After Slashing 13-Year-Old Boy’s Neck in Shocking Boardwalk Attack

A Florida man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after a terrifying attack left a 13-year-old boy with a severe wound to his neck while he was enjoying an outing with his family at the Daytona Beach Boardwalk. The assault happened in February 2026, turning what should have been a memorable family trip into a frightening ordeal that the young victim and his relatives are still struggling to move past.

Jermaine Lynn Long, 44, received the lengthy prison sentence after pleading no contest to attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery and six additional charges connected to three separate cases, according to the Volusia County State Attorney’s Office. The sentencing, announced on October 15, brought a major development in a case that shocked the local community because the victim was a child who had seemingly been targeted without warning.

The attack occurred at approximately 10 p.m. on February 14, near the Slingshot amusement ride on the Daytona Beach Boardwalk. Sullivan “Sully” Clarke was walking with his family after spending the day attending Daytona 500 events. As he looked at his phone and then glanced up toward the towering ride, a man suddenly approached and slashed his neck with a sharp weapon, according to reports. Sullivan did not immediately realize how badly he had been injured until people nearby alerted him that his neck had been cut.

Emergency responders rushed the teenager to a hospital, where doctors treated the serious wound with 13 stitches. Witnesses provided police with a description of the suspect, and officers located Long near a nearby restaurant. Investigators reported that he had a box cutter and a silver knife in his possession. Witnesses also said they had seen him lingering in the area before the attack. Long acknowledged having physical contact with the boy but denied cutting his throat during questioning, according to the arrest affidavit.

The physical injury was only part of the ordeal for Sullivan and his family. During the sentencing hearing, the teenager spoke about the pain of the attack and the distress of watching his mother cry as the family dealt with its aftermath. His mother, Lori Clarke, described the terror of seeing her son clutch his neck and ask whether he was going to bleed to death. Sullivan’s younger brother, just 11 years old at the time, also witnessed the frightening aftermath.

Sullivan’s father, Jerod Clarke, said the wound was so deep that he could see the underlying tissue. His mother later emphasized how narrowly her son had escaped a potentially fatal injury. Sullivan himself explained that he had turned his head toward the Slingshot ride at the moment of the attack, a movement he believes may have prevented the blade from striking the front of his neck. Even after receiving medical treatment, he was left with a visible scar and continued to recover from the experience.

The case also drew attention because Long had reportedly been involved in another violent incident earlier that same day, when he was accused of attacking a person with a sledgehammer. Police did not arrest him over that incident at the time. The circumstances surrounding the earlier encounter raised questions about the events leading up to the boardwalk assault, although the charges in the separate cases were handled as part of the broader legal proceedings.

At sentencing, Long apologized to the family and said he had been under the influence of drugs when the attack occurred, claiming he did not know what he was doing. Prosecutors, however, stressed the seriousness of the violence and the danger it posed to the public. With the 45-year prison sentence now imposed, the case has reached a significant legal milestone, but for Sullivan and his family, the emotional impact of that night may last far longer than the courtroom proceedings.

Source: Law&Crime