Last Saturday, Alex Bozarjian of WSAV-TV in Savannah was covering the Enmarket Savannah Bridge Run when out of nowhere, one of the runners smacked and grabbed her butt—live, and on the air. The bottom-feeder was subsequently identified as Thomas “Tommy” Callaway, a smokeless tobacco salesman from nearby Statesboro who is also—or, hopefully, was also—a youth and Boy Scout leader at his church.
Bozarjian wasn’t about to let this slide, and filed a sexual battery report with the police. On Friday, less than a week after his depraved behavior, Callaway was arrested.
The man accused of slapping a reporter's bottom during a live television report was arrested Friday, Savannah police said. Tommy Callaway, 43, was charged with misdemeanor sexual battery, Bianca Johnson of the Savannah police department confirmed to CBS News. Callaway posted bond, Johnson said.
Sexual battery carries up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine. A number of people have suggested that he probably won’t get that much. But in making the rounds of the local and national media this week, Callaway has shown that he really doesn’t understand the seriousness of what he did. He sat down for an interview with WSAV on Tuesday; watch here.
Later, he sat down with “Inside Edition.” Watch that here.
Callaway claims he feels terrible about what happened to Bozarjian. But incredibly, he claims he never intended to grope her. He says—with a straight face—that he was actually trying to wave to the crowd, and accidentally wound up hitting her instead.
The original video proves otherwise. Callaway’s hands were clearly going toward Bozarjian’s backside. With apologies to the Washington Post Fact Checker, his argument deserves four Pinocchios. Either he thinks we’re stupid, or he has a very bad or very frustrated lawyer.
Frankly, unless Callaway changes his tune, and quickly, I’m not so sure if there’s a way to deter others short of a brief stint in jail. If he hasn’t come to a mature understanding of how outrageously depraved this was, is probation enough? I’m not so sure. We have to send a message that this is not a joking matter.
Bozarjian sounds pretty determined to make sure that message goes out. She’s retained Gloria Allred as her lawyer. By calling in the equivalent of heavy artillery for a misdemeanor case, Bozarjian is saying—no, yelling—that she wants to make sure that if there is ever a next time for this, any pervert who does this will know they will pay, and dearly.
The ball’s in your court, Tommy. You’ve already lost your reputation. What you do in the next few weeks or months is going to play a big role in whether you pay your debt to society outside or inside the walls of the Chatham County jail.
Sunday, Dec 15, 2019 · 12:51:04 AM +00:00
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Christian Dem in NC
Further thoughts, since this made the rec list … those interviews prove why I believe this guy’s lawyer has some work to do in order to keep his client out of jail. I’ve taken a beating in previous postings about this for saying Callaway needs jail time. But even though it’s his first offense, Callaway still has to show he accepts responsibility for what he did. Until he does, I don't know if I’d be comfortable with just probation and community service. Any sentence he receives has to be strong enough to deter others—and unless he changes his tune, I’m not so sure probation is enough. We’ve got to send a message that you cannot treat women this way.