Teen SLASHED In Random Boardwalk Attack

A 13-year-old boy survived a random slashing attack on the Daytona Beach Boardwalk by one millimeter—the precise distance between life and death that separated his wound from his carotid artery.

Story Snapshot

Sullivan Clarke required 13 stitches after a registered sex offender slashed his neck on Valentine’s Day in a random attack on the crowded Daytona Beach Boardwalk
Suspect Jermaine Lynn Long, 44, had been released from jail just four days earlier despite pending violent charges and an extensive criminal history
Long assaulted another man with a sledgehammer earlier that same day but was only given a trespass warning, raising serious questions about police response
The attacker is now held without bond after the family advocated for stricter measures and authorities reviewed his pattern of violent offenses

A Family Outing Turned Nightmare

The Clarke family’s Valentine’s Day began with excitement at Daytona International Speedway and ended in terror on the Boardwalk. Sullivan was talking on his phone, walking between his parents near the Slingshot ride, when a stranger approached without warning. His mother Lori initially thought someone was trying to steal her son’s phone. Then she saw blood. Jerod Clarke turned to see his son’s neck gashed wide open, a wound so deep that doctors later confirmed it missed the carotid artery by just one millimeter. Sullivan’s head had turned slightly while he was on the phone, a random movement that medical professionals believe saved his life.

The Suspect’s Disturbing Day of Violence

Jermaine Lynn Long didn’t begin his violent spree with Sullivan Clarke. That morning, Long chased a man at a 7-Eleven near the Boardwalk and struck him with a sledgehammer. Officers responded, but instead of arresting Long, they issued only a trespass warning. Hours later, Long walked the crowded tourist destination where families celebrated Valentine’s Day. Witness Andrew Walker had chatted with Long just minutes before the attack, describing him as casual and unremarkable. Walker later expressed shock when he recognized the man police arrested as the same person he’d just encountered.

A System That Failed to Protect

Long’s release from jail four days before the attack exposes glaring failures in the criminal justice system. He walked free despite pending January charges for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery. His record stretches back years: arrests for battery, drug possession, failure to register as a sex offender, theft, and trespassing. The pattern was clear, yet he remained on the streets. Police are now reviewing why officers didn’t arrest Long after the sledgehammer incident that morning. The decision to issue a warning instead of taking him into custody allowed a violent offender to remain among crowds of tourists and families for hours.

Justice Delayed but Finally Delivered

Long initially received a fifty-thousand-dollar bond after his arrest on February 14. The Clarke family refused to accept this. They appeared at a second hearing on February 17, advocating for Long to be held without bond. The judge agreed after reviewing Long’s extensive criminal history and the severity of the attack. By February 18, authorities added charges for the morning sledgehammer assault. Long remains in custody, though he has refused to speak and police have determined no clear motive for attacking Sullivan. The randomness of the violence makes it even more chilling.

This case raises uncomfortable questions about repeat offenders, sex offender monitoring, and bail decisions for violent criminals. Sullivan Clarke survived because of a millimeter and a phone call. Other families might not be so fortunate. The Daytona Beach community now demands answers about how Long remained free despite his history, and why multiple encounters with police on the day of the attack didn’t result in his removal from public spaces. The review of police procedures and potential policy changes can’t undo what happened to Sullivan, but they might prevent the next family from facing the same nightmare on what should have been an ordinary day at the beach.