A confrontation over an electric bike in a suburban Boca Raton community has led to a second arrest and an escalation of the charges against a 62-year-old resident accused of assaulting a 13-year-old boy.
The April 3 incident took place at Lotus, an HOA community of 525 homes off Lyons Road west of Florida’s Turnpike. The dispute is said to have begun when resident Mitchell Schuman took issue with the way the boy was riding an e-bike and demanded that he stop doing “wheelies” and come with him to security. When the boy refused, Schuman threw a water bottle at him and took his cell phone, according to Palm Beach County sheriff’s reports.
A second review of the video of the incident by police resulted in Schuman facing a felony charge — robbery by snatching for taking the boy’s cell phone. The upgraded charge occurred on May 12, the day before Schuman was scheduled to appear before a judge on the misdemeanor charges. Schuman is now expected to contest the felony charge in court next month.
Schuman’s attorney, Matt Shafran, has previously alleged the juvenile was riding his electric bicycle at a high speed and performing stunts on community roadways, “posing a clear risk to himself and others.”
A video of the incident went viral. The encounter received national attention and sparked a debate on social media about whether more should be done to keep juveniles off e-bikes and whether Schuman went too far in confronting the boy.
Meanwhile, deputies arrested on May 6 an adult who assisted Schuman. Ari Brooks, 54, is also facing the same felony charge, robbery by snatching, that Schuman has been charged with. Brooks has also been charged with simple assault.
According to a sheriff’s report, a detective reviewed the video a second time and concluded that Brooks restrained the boy against his will, came into possession of his cell phone and refused to return it. Both Schuman and Brooks were charged with the felony on the same day. The robbery-by-snatching crime could result in a five-year prison sentence.
Matt Shafran, Schuman’s lawyer, said the decision raises questions about whether evidence or outside pressure and public reaction has motivated prosecutors. Shafran said his client looks forward to his day in court “where facts, evidence, and full context matter more than emotion, headlines, or political pressure.”
The lawyer for Brooks, the second defendant, declined to comment on the charges filed against his client. The State Attorney’s Office declined to comment on Shafran’s allegation.
E-bikes become cause for concern in many Florida communities
The incident at Lotus is the latest episode in Palm Beach County and across the country, as communities report rising friction between riders of the popular e-bikes — often teens — and residents who say they feel unsafe on sidewalks, trails, and neighborhood streets. Shafran said Schuman has received death threats as a result of the video.
The increasing number of incidents and accidents involving e-bikes has caught the attention of municipalities and the state Legislature.
The town of Palm Beach adopted an ordinance in October 2025 that bans e-bikes, scooters and similar devices from sidewalks, trails and the Lake Trail. Riders must be at least 15 years old, and they must have ID. Riders can still use streets and bike lanes.
The state Legislature has passed a bill that requires e-bike riders to limit their speeds to 10 mph if pedestrians are within 50 feet and calls on riders to give audible signals on shared paths.
The bill also requires the Florida Highway Patrol and local law-enforcement agencies to maintain records of crashes involving micromobility devices for statewide analysis.
Gov. Ron DeSantis must sign the bill for it to become law.
Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: E-bike clash near Boca leads to escalated felony charge, second arrest
Reporting by Mike Diamond, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
