Man accused of racially charged incident in Naples park gone viral headed to trial

A man charged last year in two racial confrontations in Naples just days apart will head to trial later this month.

Carl Pukin, 42, of Naples, was arrested in June, the first charge stemming from an incident at Baker Park.

Faria Bathol and Sonia Telusnord, both of Naples, were setting up for a birthday party when Pukin charged the family.

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The sisters caught the incident on camera, later going viral.

Telusnord said they arrived at the park and went to find a bench, telling the children to go play while they set up for the party, she said.

"They went straight for the slide, and literally within 30 to 60 seconds ...," Telusnord recalled. "they came back telling me that somebody's there being very mean to them."

Telusnord said she and her sister approached the slide.

Pukin began shouting at the family, Telusnord said.

Pukin advanced, the viral video shows, using derogatory race- and gender-based language to address the family.

When they learned about a separate movie theater incident involving Pukin and connected the dots, both sisters said they were thankful they recorded the park incident.

The Daily News couldn't reach the siblings for comment Wednesday before publication.

Pukin was arrested at a movie theater in Naples on June 10 following a similar incident. The charges stemming from the park were later added.

According to a report, Pukin accused the victim, a minor, of bumping into his child in the theater. 

Pukin grabbed the 15-year-old by the throat and pushed him to the ground, the report said. Pukin used racial slurs and held the boy until bystanders separated them.

Both incidents were captured on cell phone video and widely shared on social media.

On Aug. 29, Pukin pleaded no contest to the movie theater charges, although that case was reopened Feb. 16 after Pukin violated probation, court records indicate.

Pukin's trial for the park incident begins March 28.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.