THREE OAKS, Fla. — A video from the Millennium Apartments near Three Oaks Parkway in Lee County shows a man attacking a 13-year-old boy after the child threw Play-Doh at cars, leading to a search for the suspect.
Julian Torres, the victim, admitted to throwing Play-Doh along the road near Three Oaks Park.
“So we started like throwing it in the road. There wasn’t really cars there, but we were just like throwing in the road. And one of my friends threw a piece in the road, and there was a car, like, coming on like really fast, and, like, it kind of like hit the Play-Doh,” He said. “And I guess the guy got upset and he did a whole U-turn around the whole entire park back to the community.”
Torres attempted to hide in the bushes when the car turned around, but the man caught up with him and attacked him.
Troy Sinopoli expressed his opinion on the situation, stating, “The guy was saying, what would you do? I mean, that’s why you have insurance and the police, so let them take care of it. It’s not his job to step in that situation. So what do you think should happen to the guy? Definitely charged with assault on a minor. Kid’s a lot smaller than him, too.”
Trish Routte from Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers described the incident, saying, “The passenger in the car loses his mind and instructs the driver to pull over. The passenger gets out of the car and immediately starts attacking these juveniles. These are kids. This is a grown man getting out of a car, attacking children. After he lays hands on them, he gets back in the car, leaves in a blue car.”
While many agree that the teenager should not have been beaten, they also believe that throwing objects at cars is dangerous.
Maureen added, “And kids should not be throwing things. Because if they caused an accident because they were throwing stones at somebody’s car or something, then who’s at fault?”
She shared a personal experience, saying, “It had happened to me back in Ohio one time. Kids were out there throwing snowballs, and they hit the side of my car and scared the hell out of me. It was in the dead of winter, and I swerved over, and it was like I was lucky I was a lot younger. Your reflexes are a lot better.”
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers stated that the man in the video faces several felony charges, including child abuse.
It identified him as the passenger of a blue four-door Honda with a pink heart sticker on the back. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.