CASSELBERRY, Fla. — A Casselberry father is facing charges after police said he slapped a student he believed was bullying his 12-year-old son.
Allen Banyacski told Channel 9 on Friday that his son has been targeted by three classmates for a long time, and he admits he lost his temper.
Now, Banyacski is facing charges of battery and cruelty towards a child.
"It was just a knee-jerk reaction, which I shouldn't have done," he said.
Casselberry police said Banyacski lost control and went after the three middle schoolers who he thought were bullying his son.
"That's why he confronted them originally. He felt like his son was being picked on, and he wanted to confront them about that," said Sgt. William Nas of the Casselberry Police Department.
According to the police report, the victim told police Banyacski threatened to kill the three middle schoolers. He then got out of his car, spit on one child, hit him and then got back in his car and drove away.
"They've been bullying my son all year long," Banyacski told Channel 9.
He said the three boys have been picking on his son at South Seminole Middle School and that after his complaints to the school went nowhere, he took matters into his own hands.
"I regret the action that I took," Banyacski said. "I don't regret confronting the children. My son has been bullied all year, and the school has done nothing."
South Seminole Middle School has not responded to Channel 9's calls.
Banyacski said the school's principal is walking his son halfway home from school Friday to try to stop the bullying problem.
WFTV
