Driver tries to hit teens playing ding dong ditch, then chokes one of them, GA cops say
UPDATE: Five teens are charged with criminal trespass after a game of “ding dog ditch” led to one of them being physically assaulted, Tybee Island police announced Sept. 1.
Authorities said the incident remains under investigation.
The original story continues below.
A game of ding dong ditch turned violent and ended with a Tybee Island man’s arrest, police in Georgia said.
William Cole, 49, was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault after he’s accused of chasing a group of teens and choking one of them after they knocked on his door Sunday, Aug. 27, according to the Tybee Island Police Department.
Cole also faces a count of child cruelty, police said in a news release.
Investigators said the teens knocked on the door at Cole’s coastal Georgia home and took off. The homeowner chased after them, initially on foot before getting into his car, police said.
At one point, Cole tried hitting the teens with his vehicle but missed, according to the release. That’s when he got back out and continued chasing them on foot.
He eventually caught up with one of the teens and started to choke them, police said. Cole fled after a bystander stepped in to stop the attack, police said.
Authorities issued warrants before arresting him on Monday, Aug. 28. Police didn’t provide details on the teenager’s condition.
Cole remained in custody at the Chatham County jail as of Monday afternoon, online records show.
Tybee Island is about 20 miles southeast of downtown Savannah.
This story was originally published August 28, 2023 at 11:21 AM with the headline "Driver tries to hit teens playing ding dong ditch, then chokes one of them, GA cops say."