Girl's father confronts ice cream truck driver. What happens next?

Confrontation leads to driver's arrest on charges of battery, resisting arrest

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – An ice cream truck driver was arrested Tuesday evening after Jacksonville Beach police said he pushed a girl's father, resisted arrest and had marijuana in his ice cream truck. 

According to police, the driver of the ice cream truck, 43-year-old Murat Tastan, was trying to get a girl to come to his vehicle near Seawalk Pavilion.

The 13-year-old girl’s father, who wished to remain anonymous, told News4Jax that she was there with other girls, participating in a gymnastics class, and he was sitting up against a tree nearby when it happened.

"At one point, I heard him play something over his microphone that said, 'Hey, baby.' It was in a baby's voice -- very creepy -- and then he whistled, so my daughter says, 'Hey, Dad. I’m a little bit worried,'" he said.

The father told police that when he told Tastan to leave, the ice cream truck driver jumped out of his vehicle and aggressively approached him. He said Tastan bumped into his chest, knocking him backward, and cursed at him. 

Police said that, when the first officer arrived, the officer saw Tastan try to go after the father again. When the officer tried to calm Tastan down, he resisted, according to an arrest report. 

"It took that officer a few minutes. He requested backup because the guy was fighting with him. Another officer came. Then another officer came," the girl's father said. "They finally got him to roll over and comply."

Cellphone video shows the struggle between the ice cream truck driver and the officers as he continued to yell and move as police tried to handcuff him. Officers said they finally got Tastan to cooperate and placed him in handcuffs. 

Tastan was arrested on charges of battery, resisting arrest without violence and possession of marijuana. Police said 2.2 grams of the drug were found inside the ice cream truck. 

According to police, a special license is needed to operate an ice cream truck in Jacksonville Beach and Tastan hadn’t renewed his license since 2011.

Fernando Sola, another ice cream truck driver in the area, said not only do ice cream truck drivers need to be licensed, but they need to have a good attitude for the job. 

"Police stop me all the time, even if they know me already, but they want to make sure every year that I have the license for Jacksonville Beach and I have all the papers. I have the insurance," Sola said. "If you can’t be good with kids and you can’t be friendly with people, then you have to do something else."

The 13-year-old’s father and a few others said they have had run-ins with Tastan in the past. They said they hope Tastan's arrest will keep him away from the area. 

The father said he is relieved he was there when the incident happened, so he could protect his daughter. But he added she's still shaken up. 

Tastan, of Jacksonville, was released from the Duval County jail Wednesday on $4,500 bond, online jail records show. He is scheduled to be in court for arraignment at 9:30 a.m. May 22.

On Thursday, News4Jax went by to the address listed on the report for Tastan and a man said he had kicked Tastan out over a year ago and that he's likely living out of his truck, which was impounded Tuesday evening.Â