The accused man is typically known for doing positive work in the community. Now some neighbors are accusing him of trying to take the law into his own hands.
Neighbors call the Copperfield area a tight-knit community in Cypress. But many folks here are staying tight-lipped about the recent arrest of the Copperfield Coalition President Anthony Cecala.
Neighbors told me Cecala, 52, was home when we showed up to talk to him about the aggravated assault charges he's now facing for allegedly ramming his white truck into young man's car two weeks ago. But no one opened the door.
Janet Alsobrooks said, "I'm just thankful my husband and my child are still alive."
Janet and John Alsobrooks told me the car Cecala crashed into belongs to their son. They say Cecala began following their son through several neighborhoods after he allegedly ran a stop sign.
John said, "You just can't use your car as a weapon, and that's exactly what the guy did."
John says that pursuit led to a chase when their son noticed the strange man following him and got scared. So he drove to a home on Eden Falls where his dad was visiting friends.
"When I was on the phone with dispatch, they asked me if I could get the license plate number," John said. "As I was on the phone, the guy came at me, and I told the lady on the phone, 'Look, the guy just tried to run me over.'"
Alsobrooks claims Cecala tried running him over twice before crashing into his son's car. His son had to be treated at the hospital. Cecala's now facing criminal charges.
"I hope he has to pay for everything that he did," John said. "He needs to learn a lesson."
Cecala did post bond, and we've learned it's not the first time he's been accused of a similar crime.
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