CAUGHT ON CAM: Man charged after pushing boy off bike, police say

DEEP RIVER, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) – A Connecticut man is facing charges after getting into a confrontation and pushing a boy off of his bike.

State police said 48-year-old Jameson Chapman assaulted an 11-year-old boy while the boy was riding his bike in Deep River Monday evening.

State police went to the victim’s home, where the boy’s family showed police video of the incident.

The video shows Chapman screaming at 11-year-old Daniel, ending with him shoving the boy off his bike.

“After watching just a couple seconds of the video I immediately went into flight or fight and jumped into my car to go look for the guy,” Desiree Dominique, Daniel’s mother, said.

Dominique believes this incident is a hate crime and that the video proves it.

Daniel is biracial. Dominique said her son and a friend were biking in town when the man accidentally bumped into them and took his anger out on Daniel.

“Where did you grow up? Did you grow up in Connecticut?” Chapman can be heard asking Daniel in the video.

“No,” Daniel said.

“No, you didn’t. Exactly, so get the f*** out of town,” Chapman said.

Moments later, Daniel was shoved.

Once Daniel told his mother what happened, Dominique called police and showed them the video.

“Daniel is afraid to leave the house. He’s terrified to leave the house,” she said.

Daniel has some cuts and bruises, but it’s the psychological impact Dominique worries about, showing WFSB exactly where it happened on High Street.

“It’s very scary, it’s very scary as a mom,” she said.

Chapman was charged with breach of peace second-degree, risk of injury to a child and assault third-degree. He made bail.

He is due in Middletown Superior Court in July.

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