The 72-year-old Democratic mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has accused his much younger ex-fiancée of domestic violence, detailing in court on Friday that he was attacked during a confrontation at his home last week.
Mayor Dean Trantalis recounted that an altercation occurred with his 34-year-old ex-girlfriend, Daniel James Curran, outside his residence on November 1, when she allegedly pushed him and he responded in kind.
According to police reports, Curran supposedly dragged Trantalis about 15 feet along the road after knocking him down.
This incident led to Curran’s arrest for assaulting someone over 65 and breaching a previous confidentiality order the mayor had secured in September.
In a lawsuit related to domestic violence, the mayor claimed that Curran had hurled objects at him, pointed a knife in his direction, kicked furniture, and demanded he leave the house.
During the hearing, Trantalis explained that, despite a no-contact order, he attempted to assist Curran when she arrived at his home last week.
“We thought that reconnecting might help Danny get the counseling and treatment she needed, but it didn’t work out as planned,” Trantalis stated.
Reports indicate that the couple had been together since March and got engaged in July, but things took a turn, leading to the enforcement of a no-contact order.
Trantalis mentioned suffering injuries to his wrist, foot, and knee in the encounter.
A judge in Broward County set Curran’s bail at $6,000, while ordering her to avoid any contact with the mayor and to stay away from firearms, weapons, or ammunition.
Curran was released later that night, hastily leaving the scene as media cameras approached.
When a reporter inquired if she had anything to say regarding the charges, she simply replied, “I love him.”
“Do you still love him, despite everything?” was the follow-up question.
“No matter what. I’ve always loved him, and I always will,” she expressed.
