Holly MatkinNashville, TN – A guest at a Hilton Hotel in downtown Nashville said he awoke to find the hotel’s night manager sucking on his toes during his stay in late March.
The terrifyingly bizarre incident allegedly occurred on March 30 at the Hilton Hotel located in the 100-block of 4th Avenue South, WKRN reported.
Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers said the guest told investigators he was asleep in his room at about 5 a.m. when he was awakened by someone sucking on his toes, according to court documents.
“All my life you just have that sense of security, and that sense of peace, right?” the victim, Peter Brennan, later told WKRN. “It’s not like you’re camping and you have to kind of keep one eye open. You have that security that’s yours, and when you close your eyes, you feel like you’re safe and you’re protected…”
Brennan said the incident “was a complete violation” of his sense of security and peace.
“I was just so, so shocked,” he told WKRN. “It was, who are you? Why are you in my room? It was almost like a dream, a sort of nightmare. It just didn’t make sense. Why is this person touching me?”
Brennan said he immediately confronted the intruder and realized he was one of two hotel workers who came into his room the night before due to a problem with his television, WKRN reported.
The alleged perpetrator has since been identified as the hotel’s night manager, 52-year-old David Neal.
The guest contacted police, who came to the hotel and spoke with Neal about the allegations, WKRN reported.
They said Neal claimed he entered Brennan’s room because he smelled smoke and wanted to make sure the victim was safe.
But according to police, no one else at the hotel smelled smoke and Neal did not alert security about the alleged odor, WKRN reported.
Investigators said Neal used a key card he made to enter the victim’s room.
He claimed he threw the card away and it was not recovered during the investigation, WKRN reported.
Neal was arrested at his residence in Lebanon on May 5.
He has been charged with assault and aggravated burglary and was being held on a $27,000 bond, WKRN reported.
Brennan has since filed a lawsuit against the hotel, according to WKRN.
According to Michael Fisher, one of Brennan’s attorneys, Neal has a lengthy criminal history and has spent time behind bars.
“Multiple charges of forgery, drinking and driving, a manslaughter conviction as well, which served prison time,” Fisher told WKRN. “When Hilton hired this person, they had to have known. They have to do background checks to know, and the fact that they would put somebody like that in a position where they have the ability to clone keys, have the ability to get into a guest’s room…”
Fisher said he has not handled any cases similar to Brennan’s.
“The fact that this would occur, it’s just shocking to us,” he told WKRN. “We haven’t seen a case like this.”
Hilton Downtown Nashville said it has been working closely with law enforcement since the alleged incident occurred.
“The safety and security of our guests and team members is our highest priority,” the hotel told WKRN in a statement. “We are working closely with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and, as part of company policy, we do not comment on ongoing investigations.”
