A fun-runner who was accused of slapping a female reporter’s butt during a live TV broadcast has explained his actions as a “misjudge in character and decision-making” and that he was simply “caught up in the moment.”

Tommy Callaway, a 43-year-old married father of two and native of Statesboro, Georgia, was captured on camera smacking reporter Alex Bozarjian’s backside during a live broadcast of the 5K Savannah Bridge Run, in which he was taking part.

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Hours later, a clip of the incident and Bozarjian’s horrified reaction went viral, gaining over 11 million views. Callaway was subsequently identified online and slammed for “violating” the broadcaster, and was also handed a permanent ban from the run by the Savannah Sports Council.

Callaway, a Boy Scout leader and church youth volunteer, has since insisted he hadn’t intended to assault the reporter, and declared he didn’t even know exactly where his supposedly busy hands had touched her.

Flip the page to hear his side of the story and more: 

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