A runner who slapped a reporter’s bum on live TV has been charged by police. Tommy Callaway was running the Enmarket Savannah Bridge Run when he whacked a reporter on her backside.Callaway, 43, was charged by police on Friday with misdemeanour sexual battery after turning himself in, following a police appeal to find him.
News reporter Alex Bozarjian, 23, has told of her “disbelief” that someone would 'help themselves to her body' - particularly while she was doing her job.
She said the incident made her feel “extremely vulnerable” with the “heavy impact” slap stinging.
The video shows participants jumping in shot of the camera and pulling silly faces on December 7.
Only moments into Ms Bozarjian’s reporting, Callaway can be seen swooping in behind her and slapping her backside.
Mouth agape, the reporter looks stunned and stares in the runner’s direction. She’s unable to continue reporting, momentarily.
Writing on Twitter on Saturday, she told the ‘man who smacked my butt on live TV’: “You violated, objectified, and embarrassed me. No woman should ever have to put up with this at work or anywhere!! Do better.”
Ms Bozarjian posted the video on Twitter which has amassed more than 8,000 comments and shared over 2,000 times.
She believes the story has drawn so much attention because women can relate to it everywhere. She added “I would say the reason why maybe it caught so much fire is because the emotion is extremely relatable for women all over the world.”
Callaway - a youth minister - asked WSAV-TV viewers to forgive his mistake. He said: “It was an awful act and an awful mistake. I am not that person that people are portraying me as. I make mistakes, I’m not perfect and I’m asking for forgiveness and to accept my apology.”
Callaway has been banned from future Savannah Sports Council races.
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