WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — What started as a rivalry week prank turned violent when a Williamson County parent was arrested after allegedly punching a teenager through a car window, according to the teen's family.
Kristin and Phil Thornton say their son, a junior at Independence High School, drove with a friend to the home of a Summit High School student. They say he had no weapons — only toilet paper in the car.
"Was he gonna do it? Maybe. But he hadn't," Kristin said.
What happened next, the Thorntons say, was something they never expected.
"He tried to escape the situation and there are people running down the street after him. It's something out of a horror movie — people running after your child, a riot of 12 to 15 people with baseball bats. I can't imagine how he felt," Kristin said.
When the Thorntons got the first call from their son Wednesday night, they knew something was wrong.
"From what he told us, 'My windows are smashed and I got hit in the face by a grown adult. I called the cops and they're here right now,'" Phil said.
When they arrived at the Thompson's Station neighborhood, sheriff's deputies were already there piecing together the timeline. They found their son's back windshield had been beaten in with baseball bats. His face was bumped and bruised after they say an adult reached through the car window and punched him.
"The police officer reenacted it with him after I went with my son to the hospital. You could see it in the video footage — he pulls his fist back and punches him through the car window," Kristin said.
That parent, Thomas Hutchinson, was booked into jail on an assault charge.
"Punching someone in a vehicle is already cowardly as it is. There's no way of self-defense — absolutely no way of self-defense — being surrounded by minors and/or your own children," Phil said.
The Thorntons say they understand frustration over a prank, but say the response was far out of proportion.
"I'd be furious if I walked out and saw toilet paper all over my yard, but I remember when I was 16, and if that's the worst thing that happened, you know …" Phil said.
"As parents, you should be diffusing the situation, not being the front leader of a potential riot or whatever this is," Kristin said.
They say they've noticed how the attack has changed their son, and say what's hardest to accept is that an adult was at the center of it.
"Child abuse is no joke. As a nation, we're trying to do everything we can to make sure children are safe and able to grow up and become adults and citizens of this country. To show that you can put your hand on anyone you want, at any time you want, anywhere you want, is absolutely ridiculous," Phil said.
The Thorntons reached out hoping to spread awareness about what happened and encourage communication instead of violence. They hope more people will come forward with video and information, as several others were involved.
Williamson County Schools says there will be increased police presence at tonight's rivalry game. The school system says the Williamson County Sheriff's Office is investigating.
NewsChannel 5 reached out to Hutchinson for comment. He did not respond.
If you have a story that needs to be told in Williamson County, email Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com.
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