Photo: Moment RF
A Florida couple who were captured on video chasing and threatening a Black utility project manager are now facing criminal charges.
According to Newsone, State Attorney Monique Worrell of Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit charged Wiley and Cheryl Ann Pyle with assault with evidence of prejudice, a hate-crime-enhanced offense.
The charges stem from a July incident involving Antavis Johnson, who was going door-to-door in an Orange County neighborhood to notify residents about upcoming utility upgrades. Johnson said the couple became hostile almost immediately after he approached their property, hurling racial slurs, threatening to “hang” him, and pursuing him off their driveway. An officer who responded to the scene told the victim that "no crime was committed."
Prosecutors, however, said the Pyles “intentionally and unlawfully” threatened Johnson and had the “apparent ability” to carry out violence, creating a “well-founded fear that such violence was imminent.” According to court documents, the couple “intentionally selected” Johnson as a target based on his race and other protected characteristics.
Both defendants are scheduled to appear in court on November 25.
Johnson said he was focused on keeping the situation from escalating when he was confronted by the Pyles.
“I was thinking about my daughter. I didn’t want to put my hands on nobody,” he told WESH. “I stayed as calm as possible so it wouldn’t flip or I wouldn’t get in trouble. I was also working, so I’m representing another job.”
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