North Florida

North Florida Man Attempted to Run Over Child After Refusal to Take Bath: Police

What to Know

  • A report says the man in the truck, 45-year-old Joseph Riley, started following his son after the child refused numerous bath requests

A North Florida father is behind bars after police say he tried to run over his son – all because the child didn’t want to take a bath.

According to NBC affiliate WPMI-TV, witnesses called Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies after hearing yelling and vehicles accelerating at high speeds before noticing that a young man – whose age was not released – was running from a truck that appeared to be following the child.

A report from the ESCO says the man in the truck, 45-year-old Joseph Riley, started following his son after the child refused numerous requests to take a bath. When Riley threatened to spank him, the child left the home and Riley began to drive.

Investigators say Riley was intoxicated at the time of the incident and lunged at deputies during his arrest, according to the report.

Riley was charged with domestic violence with a deadly weapon as well as resisting arrest and was taken to jail, where he is being held on no bond and is scheduled to appear in court on February 28th.

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