The cyclist seen in a viral video accosting young people as they put up flyers related to the George Floyd protests was arrested Friday on charges stemming from the incident.
Anthony Brennan III was charged with three counts of second-degree assault following the June 1st incident that took place along a Bethesda, Maryland bike trail. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, the New York Times reports.
In the viral video seen by over 31 million people, the 60-year-old Brennan is seen forcefully grabbing flyers out of a young woman’s hand and then barreling his bicycle in the direction of the person filming the incident, with the camera falling into the grass.
They were putting up signs to commemorate the death of George Floyd. He wasn't having it. pic.twitter.com/eukrXrxoLN
— Victor Stoddard (@VicStoddard) June 4, 2020
“On Monday, June 1, 2020 at approximately 12:45 p.m., three young adults were walking the Capital Crescent Trail near the Dalecarlia Tunnel. The young adults, one male and two females, were posting flyers reference a call for community action. The suspect described as a white male began to argue about the flyers and forcibly grabbed the flyers from one of the victims. Before leaving the scene, the suspect pushed his bicycle towards the male victim and caused him to fall to the ground,” Maryland-National Capital Park Police said in a statement Friday.
“Over the past few days, community members have sent hundreds of tips to the Park Police. Detectives in the Investigative Section utilized various sources to further corroborate the information provided by the community before developing Mr. Brennan as a primary suspect.”
Police later searched Brennan’s house and, after seizing “items of evidentiary value,” obtained an arrest warrant for Brennan, who voluntarily turned himself into authorities.
“I am sick with remorse for the pain and fear I caused the victims on the trail, and online,” Mr. Brennan said in a statement through his lawyers. “I am cooperating fully with authorities. I am committed to making amends by addressing, through counseling, the underlying issues that led to my abhorrent behavior.”
Brennan’s lawyers added that their client “recognizes that his outrageous behavior toward the young adult victims on the Crescent Trail was unacceptable and wrong. The outrage felt in our community and across our country is completely justified.”