Nationwide — Antavis Tyrone Johnson, an African American utility employee from Orange County, Florida, providing photo voltaic upgrades, confronted a racist and threatening encounter at a house that later went viral on-line, resulting in assault fees in opposition to the white couple concerned.
In keeping with Atlanta Black Star, Johnson stated he was going door to door in July when he knocked on the house of Steven Edwin Wiley, 51, and Cheryl Ann Pyle, 55. When Pyle opened the door, he instantly sensed their anger and politely apologized if the timing was inconvenient.
As an alternative of calming down, the couple started shouting racial slurs and threatening Johnson. He began recording the encounter as they chased him off the property and continued yelling whereas he walked down the road. The video captured repeated threats and racist insults.
“Get your Black a– out of right here, motherf—-r. Take your Black a– out of right here earlier than you get f–ked up,” they’re heard saying within the video. “Get the f–okay out of right here… Come again once more and I’m gonna f—king cling your a–.”
The footage shortly unfold on TikTok, gaining tens of millions of views earlier than being eliminated. The next day, Wiley and Pyle referred to as the sheriff’s workplace, claiming they’d obtained threatening calls. As an alternative of ending the matter, their report sparked a prison investigation into their very own conduct.
On October 24, prosecutors charged the couple with assault, evidencing prejudice, stating they deliberately focused Johnson due to his race. Johnson described the incident as terrifying, saying he has struggled to return to work since.
Additional investigation revealed Wiley and Pyle have been already in Orange County Jail on separate fees. They’d allegedly abused Pyle’s stepmother on the similar dwelling. The sufferer reported being locked in a room for 2 days with a rope tied to the door and having her telephone and pill taken away. Deputies documented bruises and cuts per abuse.
Each Wiley and Pyle now face extra felony fees, together with false imprisonment, aggravated assault, and home violence, alongside the assault fees stemming from their racist tirade.
