A Florida man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a teenager he accused of trespassing while fishing in a residential pond. Gregory McPhedrain, 57, was filmed on Thursday putting his hand around the neck of 17-year-old Isaiah after confronting him and his friend, 15-year-old Brycin, in Lee County, Florida.
The video, obtained by Gulf Coast News, shows McPhedrain chasing Isaiah down a sidewalk before grabbing his neck and attempting to pull him to the ground. Isaiah managed to break free and push McPhedrain away, but the man then charged at him again with his fist raised.
McPhedrain was arrested and booked into Lee County Jail on two counts of battery and one count of cruelty to a child. He is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Saturday morning and has not yet entered a plea.
According to the boys, the confrontation began after McPhedrain called the police on them for fishing. As they left the area on their e-bikes, they allege McPhedrain drove his Subaru Crosstrek alongside them, shouting and nearly hitting them before throwing a liquid at them. McPhedrain then reportedly parked his car, exited, and pursued Isaiah on foot.
"Once I seen him get out the car and start coming at us, that's when I felt the need to protect me and my friend's property. And I just felt like our lives were at danger," Isaiah told Gulf Coast News. Brycin, who recorded the incident, added that it "looked like he was trying to shove his fingers down my friend's throat."
Isaiah stated, "It's not OK to put your hands on a child in any situation, no matter what. If you are above the age of 18, you should know better than to put your hands on a child."
The Lee County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident. Public records indicate McPhedrain resides in Sanibel Island, Florida, approximately 20 miles from Fort Myers.