Miami Teacher Arrested, Accused Of Beating Up Teenagers

A Miami man was arrested and is being accused of child abuse and public intoxication after two teenage boys told police he beat up the pair.

The Miami Public Schools website indicates that Charles Preaus is a Spanish teacher at the junior and high schools.

Attorney Chase McBride says he is still piecing together exactly what happened on Sept.12, but he is concerned.

The probable cause affidavit for Preaus says two teens came forward to police, and said they were walking down a street in Miami when Preaus started calling them names, following them, and tackled them. The boys then told Miami Police Preaus then started choking them.

The teens even told Preaus they’d give him $100 if he stopped attacking them. The family of the victims says pictures from after the incident show bruises and a bloody eye.

Officers spoke with Preaus about the incident, and he claimed the teens were on his property and being disrespectful, stating that the kids jumped him. He told officers he was going to defend himself regardless. The officers noted that Preaus admitted he had been drinking at the time of the incident.
He declined to provide further information to police and was arrested and booked into the Ottawa County Jail on Friday.

“I think the parents' main concern is one thing: why did it take so long for the man to be arrested when this happened a couple of weeks ago?” said McBride.

McBride hopes anyone who witnessed anything on the night of Sept. 12 in Miami will come forward to assist with the investigation.

“If anybody in the area of Miami has a Ring doorbell and might have video camera of this night, contact us or the Miami Police Department. That is one of the main things we're looking for is to really connect the dots as to what happened here,” said McBride.

News On 6 reached out to Miami Public Schools to inquire if Preaus is still employed with the district but did not receive a response.

News On 6 also contacted Preaus's attorney, who declined to comment at this time.