A 57-year-old Sanibel man is behind bars after authorities say he grabbed a teenage boy by the neck and throat and tried to throw him to the ground following a confrontation at an intersection. Gregory McPhedrain was arrested three days after the alleged attack and now faces two battery counts and one count of child abuse.
According to The News-Press, McPhedrain was arrested on Thursday after being accused of grabbing one of the teen victims by the neck and attempting to throw him against the ground. The outlet, which does not name the victims because they are minors, reported that the confrontation began when it appeared McPhedrain was not going to stop at a sign and the teens tried to get his attention.
The report adds that McPhedrain grabbed one of the teens by the neck and tried to throw him onto the ground, and that he allegedly choked the teen. Video of the incident also exists.
Fishing Pond Dispute Preceded the Confrontation
A separate account from WESH identified the two teenagers involved as 17 and 15 years old. That report says the teens were fishing at a pond when McPhedrain reported them for trespassing, setting the stage for the later roadside run-in.
The teenagers told WESH that McPhedrain was speeding toward a stop sign and came to a hard stop, and that they confronted him because they believed he had nearly hit them. The station reported that the Lee County Sheriff's Office said its investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Charges Followed a Reversal by One Parent
The case almost didn't result in an arrest at all. The News-Press reported that the victims' parents had initially signed complaint withdrawals, but one of the parents later decided to press charges, which led to McPhedrain's arrest three days after the alleged attack.
McPhedrain remained in custody as of Friday, facing two battery counts and one child-abuse count, with bond not yet set, according to the same News-Press report. The Lee County Sheriff's Office maintains an online arrest search.
