Angry parents confront man ‘inappropriately’ touching kids at beach, Florida cops say

A man accused of “inappropriately” touching girls at a Florida beach was confronted by angry parents in the minutes before being arrested, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office reports.

It happened Saturday, Aug. 19, and deputies arrived before the confrontations escalated.

“Deputies responded to a disturbance along the water in New Smyrna Beach around 2:20 p.m. and learned (a man) had made unwanted physical contact with several beachgoers, including two girls,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

“Victims and witnesses revealed that (the man) approached the 9-year-old on the shoreline while her mother was in the ocean, and rubbed his hands over her body before her mother was able to get to shore and confront him. Separately, an 8-year-old girl told deputies (he) touched her in the same way.”

The 56-year-old “also grabbed” other people on the beach, witnesses reported, but details were not released.

Deputies confronted the suspect and noted he “appeared to be intoxicated and told deputies he was ‘just a friendly guy,’” officials said.

He then became “belligerent when questioned further,” officials said.

The suspect was arrested and charged with “two counts of lewd or lascivious behavior, each carrying a bond of $20,000.” The suspect lives in the DeLand area of Volusia County, officials said.

New Smyrna Beach is about 55 miles northeast of Orlando.

This story was originally published August 21, 2023 at 7:51 AM with the headline "Angry parents confront man ‘inappropriately’ touching kids at beach, Florida cops say."