An Oxford woman stuck in slow-moving traffic around 2:00 p.m. on Aug. 4 saw what appeared to be the driver of the Toyota Yaris in front of her punch the passenger of the vehicle in the face.

When traffic was at a standstill, she approached the car to see if everything was all right and saw the passenger was a young boy. The driver of the Yaris informed her that he was a Christian who did not “spare the rod” when disciplining his children and that she should mind her own business. The woman followed the Yaris to Oxford Middle School, sent photos of the car to the Oxford Police Department (OPD) as well as sent photos of the vehicle to ODP’s email.

When officers established contact with the man, an Oxford resident, he insisted that he did not hit his children and, instead, had swung a close-handed back hand at his son’s face without hitting him. Officers informed him that a close-handed backfist is indeed and punch and should not be thrown at anyone.

The man proceeded to name all of the OPD officers he knew, which did not impress the officers present, and cooperated with showing officers his home, which showed no signs of abuse.

After several days of trying, contact was established with the son, and Oxford Middle School student, who said that his father lightly elbowed him when he changed the radio station in the vehicle, which he had been told not to do. The boy showed no physical signs of abuse and said he was more worried about being yelled at than being hit.