Antavis Tyrone Johnson, an African American utility worker from Orange County, Florida, offering solar upgrades, faced a racist and threatening encounter at a home that later went viral online, leading to assault charges against the white couple involved.
According to Atlanta Black Star, Johnson said he was going door to door in July when he knocked on the home of Steven Edwin Wiley, 51, and Cheryl Ann Pyle, 55. When Pyle opened the door, he immediately sensed their anger and politely apologized if the timing was inconvenient.
Instead of calming down, the couple began shouting racial slurs and threatening Johnson. He started recording the encounter as they chased him off the property and continued yelling while he walked down the street. The video captured repeated threats and racist insults.
“Get your Black a– out of here, motherf—-r. Take your Black a– out of here before you get f–ked up,” they are heard saying in the video. “Get the f–k out of here… Come back again and I’m gonna f—king hang your a–.”
The footage quickly spread on TikTok, gaining millions of views before being removed. The following day, Wiley and Pyle called the sheriff’s office, claiming they had received threatening calls. Instead of ending the matter, their report sparked a criminal investigation into their own conduct.
On October 24, prosecutors charged the couple with assault, evidencing prejudice, stating they intentionally targeted Johnson because of his race. Johnson described the incident as terrifying, saying he has struggled to return to work since.
Further investigation revealed Wiley and Pyle were already in Orange County Jail on separate charges. They had allegedly abused Pyle’s stepmother at the same home. The victim reported being locked in a room for two days with a rope tied to the door and having her phone and tablet taken away. Deputies documented bruises and cuts consistent with abuse.
Both Wiley and Pyle now face additional felony charges, including false imprisonment, aggravated assault, and domestic violence, alongside the assault charges stemming from their racist tirade.
SOURCE: blacknews.com