Man arrested for slapping reporter’s bottom on live TV

A man who slapped a reporter’s bottom on live TV has been arrested, police say.

Alex Bozarjian was covering a charity run in Savannah, Georgia, US, for local TV station WSAV-TV when a man ran past and smacked her.

She slammed the runner on social media after the race, telling him: ‘You violated, objectified, and embarrassed me.’

She added: ‘No woman should EVER have to put up with this at work or anywhere!! Do better.’

Ms Bozarjian told police the man had slapped and then grabbed her buttocks.

Police have now confirmed Thomas Callaway, 43, from Statesboro, was arrested on suspicion of sexual battery.

Callaway came forward as the runner and went to the TV station to give an apology on-camera.

‘It was an awful act and an awful mistake,’ Callaway said at the time.

Callaway said he didn’t intend to slap the reporter on the rear.

He said he was raising his arm to pat her on the back and didn’t realise he had touched her buttocks until later seeing the video.

In a statement, the TV station, said: ‘The conduct displayed toward Alex Bozarjian during her live coverage of Saturday’s Savannah Bridge Run was reprehensible and completely unacceptable.

‘No one should ever be disrespected in this manner. The safety and protection of our employees is WSAV-TV’s highest priority.’

A video from Bozarjian’s live broadcast shows her stunned reaction after being slapped.

Sexual battery is a misdemeanor in Georgia, punishable by up to a year in jail.

State law defines the crime as making ‘physical contact with the intimate parts of the body of another person without the consent of that person.’