Felony charges filed against 2 Florida men accused of attacking Black teen driver
SANFORD, Fla. — Felony charges have officially been filed against two Central Florida men who were arrested after they were caught on video berating a Black teen.
The video showing 52-year-old Donald Corsi and 61-year-old Howard Hughes screaming obscenities at 16-year-old Jermaine Jones back on June 14 went viral.
Jones’ said she was in disbelief after first seeing the footage of the scary encounter.
“I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing, and that adults, professional adults, did this to a teenager,” she said.
The incident happened after Jones sped through a neighborhood in Sanford.
“I was driving a little bit, like, I wasn’t supposed to be driving like that,” said Jones in an earlier interview. “A guy started, a guy ran in front of the road, hit my car with a cone, threw a rock through my front windshield, and I knew something happened.”
The cellphone video shows the rear passenger window of the white Mercedes-Benz that Jones was driving shattered, as glass littered the back seat.
“Right here! Tell ’em what you were doing!” said Corsi as he took a picture of the car’s license plate. “Burning out, racing through my [expletive] neighborhood!”
Jones said he feared for his life, so he called 911.
“I feel like the only reason they said that to me is because of the color of my skin,” he said, “because I’ve never done anything to ham anybody, I never went to jail, I wasn’t threatening them.”
Deputies responded and arrested Corsi and Hughes, who are neighbors.
Both men face charges of felony property damage. Hughes faces an additional charge of misdemeanor battery.
Jones’ family has since filed a lawsuit, claiming a racial undertone motivated the confrontation, but the state’s attorney’s office did not agree.
A third man who reportedly pulled a gun during the incident was not charged.
Jones’ parents are seeking at least $30,000 in damages. Family members said they remain hopeful that Corsi and Hughes will be held accountable in court.
