Man allegedly attacks Piedmont police chief, elderly Ace customer [Video]

Piedmont police arrested and tased a 42-year-old man who they say first struck an elderly customer inside Ace Hardware and then jumped inside the police chief’s car and attacked him — all rare events in this small, affluent city. 

Piedmont police said they booked Willie Gomer, who is homeless, on suspicion of assault with great bodily injury, causing injury to an elder adult, battery of a police officer, robbery, burglary, carjacking, and possessing narcotics.

The saga first began to unfold Friday just before 4:30 p.m. at the Ace Hardware on Grand Avenue, police said.

Witnesses told police that a man had “randomly struck” an elderly man from behind, causing him to lose consciousness and fall to the ground at the hardware store.

Gomer then fled the store and ran into the garden center.

Police found him, but he was “uncooperative,” and refused to comply with officers’ commands, police said. He …