Ice cream man found with pot arrested after chest bumping local dad, Jacksonville Beach police say

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — A Jacksonville Beach ice cream man found with pot has been charged with battery on a local parent, according to police.

The father, who asked to remain anonymous in fear of his family’s safety, said he was near the Seawalk Pavilion on Tuesday when ice cream man Murat Tastan, started catcalling his daughter.

TRENDING: 

The dad told Action News Jax when he told Tastan to leave, the 43-year-old jumped out of the truck.

“He ran at me, he slammed into me with his chest. He was in my face, nose, touching me, spitting, screaming, 'I will 'f' you up,'” the dad said.

Cellphone video shows the confrontation between the pair while the ice cream truck music was still playing in the background.

Someone flagged down an officer, according to a report obtained by Action News Jax.

Police said Tastan refused to put his hands behind his back, leading to a struggle, which was also caught on video.

In the footage, Tastan can be heard screaming he’s the one who called police.

“He thought that because we ran into each other or I ran up to him, he was saying I assaulted him in some way shape or form, but my hands were by my side,” the dad said.

Action News Jax’s Beth Rousseau called Tastan on Thursday.

Investigators said he had marijuana on him when he was arrested.

The ice cream truck driver said he thought they wanted a snack and suddenly was being attacked by police.

He said he would be talking to his attorney about the situation on Friday.

“You never would expect a situation like this to happen, especially with an ice cream truck,” the dad said. “ ... This is not a position he needs to be in. He doesn’t need to be around children or the public in general.”

STAY UPDATED: Download the Action News Jax app for live updates on breaking stories

Cox Media Group