Man, woman arrested after attacking boy on bicycle, Palm Bay police say

Mary Moss, 41, and Joseph Moss, 43, were booked into the Brevard County jail Tuesday

Mary Moss, 41, and Joseph Moss, 43 (Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

PALM BAY, Fla. – A boy was threatened with a gun and attacked while riding his bike by a man and a woman, according to Palm Bay police.

Mary Moss, 41, and Joseph Moss, 43, were booked into the Brevard County jail Tuesday.

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Investigators said the victim was riding his bike along Port Malabar Boulevard when a black Chevrolet Camaro with Alabama plates drove by him. The boy said the female passenger, Mary Moss, gave him the finger as she and a man, Joseph Moss, drove past, according to officers.

The boy shouted back at the woman “(Expletive) you too, (expletive),” records show.

Police said after that, the car turned around and Joseph Moss pointed a gun at the boy who then tried to get away on his bike. Investigators said the victim pulled out his cellphone and started recording as Jospeh Moss pulled his car around to cut off the boy’s escape.

Records show the man got out of the car with his gun and began hitting the boy — at one point even pistol-whipping the victim, which resulted in the gun going off.

Investigators said the boy managed to get away and then tried to get the license plate from number off the car, but in the process of doing so Mary Moss got out of the car and started slapping the victim repeatedly.

Police said the boy’s cell phone video managed to get a clear image of the couple, the gun and the license plate. The pair took off after the woman stopped slapping the victim, records show.

Officers said they were able to run the plates and tie Joseph Moss to the car. Investigators said they were then able to match the couple’s identities to the cellphone video.

Mary Moss faces a charge of aggravated child abuse without great bodily harm.

Joseph Moss faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and methamphetamine possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver.


About the Author

Thomas Mates is a digital storyteller for News 6 and ClickOrlando.com. He also produces the podcast Florida Foodie. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism in 2010.

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