Miami

“Don't Kill Me, Man,” Baseball Bat Attack Victim Says He Begged Attackers

The man who says he was the victim of a baseball bat attack after a crash in Miami-Dade, Florida, said he pleaded with his attackers for his life.

"Don't kill me, man," Roger Flores, 55, said he told his attackers, whom police have identified as Brian Boyd, 19, and Rovantai Payne, 20. Both men face a bond hearing Saturday.

Despite the violent assault, Flores said he is a forgives his accused attackers. "I'm a father, I have sons and I forgive," he said.

Police say Flores' truck was hit from behind by a car driven by Boyd, with Payne as his passenger, near Southwest 112th Street and U.S. 1 around 5 a.m. Thursday.

Boyd came up to Flores' truck, started pounding on the window and told Flores to drive away, according to an arrest affidavit.

When Flores refused, Boyd jumped into the bed of his truck and smashed the back window, then crawled into the truck and began choking and punching Flores, police said.

Meanwhile, Payne grabbed a baseball bat and started hitting the truck, smashing the windshield and passenger window, the affidavit said.

The men got in the truck and started hitting him with the baseball bat at one point, Flores said. He later told officers he was about to lose consciousness when he saw police lights approaching.

When the officers arrived, Payne and Boyd were in the bed of the truck. Both jumped out but Payne started hitting the truck with the bat in front of the officers, the affidavit said.

After they were arrested, Boyd struck an officer twice, kicked out the rear window of a police cruiser, and later, at the police station, threw chairs, struggled with officers and threatened to "f--- each one of y'all up," police said.

Boyd and Payne are scheduled to appear in bond court Saturday to face charges including burglary with aggravated battery and criminal mischief for their alleged attack on Flores.

Payne was also charged with resisting an officer without violence, while Boyd was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and threats to a public servant.

It was unknown if they have attorneys.

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