Wellington man apologizes over verbal attack on teens

An outburst with racial overtones in a Wellington neighborhood last week left a teenage girl hurt and saddened.

It's an outburst that's now been seen and heard across the country.

SADDENED.

LEE JEFFERS HAS BEENPUT ON LEAVE WHILE HISEMPLOYER INVESTIGATES THEVIRAL INCIDENT INVOLVING AGOLF CART.

WPTV'S TODD WILSONHAS THE STORY.<< (NATS OF VIDEO) IT'S ANOUTBURST THAT'S NOW BEEN SEENAND HEARD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.JUNE 17TH WELLINGTON RESIDENTLEE JEFFERS VERBALLY ATTACKEDTWO TEENAGE GIRLS OVER ANINCIDENT WITH A GOLF CART.CAUGHT ON CAMERA HE WOULDEVENTUALLY DIRECT HIS ANGER ATTHE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN KIDIN THE GROUP.

NATS: (VO) HEWOULD ULTIMATELY GET INTO ACONFRONTATION WITH THE YOUNGGIRLS GRANDFATHER, TONYNELSON.

(SOT) NATS: (VO) IT'SEXACTLY ONE WEEK SINCE THEENCOUNTER AND IN THIS PICTUREIT IS LEE JEFFERS MEETING WITHNELSON AND THE TWO GIRLS INTHE VIDEO TO APOLOGIZE.

(SOT06:15:48) 7 SEC HE APOLOGIZEDTO THE THREE OF US AND MYDAUGHTER.

(SOT06:16:07) 11 SECI BELIEVE THAT HE WAS SINCEREFOR THE MOMENT.

AND I HAVE TOSAY THIS, I BELIEVE HIS WIFEWAS VERY SINCERE.

NATS: (VO)JEFFERS DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAKON CAMERA BUT ALLOWED US TOQUOTE FROM A LETTER HE WROTETO THE GIRLS AND NELSON.

THELETTER SAYS "I'M SORRY.

PLEASELET ME START THERE.

I AMDEEPLY SORRY FOR HAVING SCAREDYOU AND YOUR FRIENDS.

HE GOESON TO SAY "IF THIS SITUATIONHAD A THEME, IT WOULD BE AGEVS YOUTH NOT AGE VS RACE."JEFFERS EVENTUALLY SAYS "IWOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO BE ABLETO TAKE BACK MY WORDS ANDACTIONS." NATS: (VO) WHEN ITCOMES TO FORGIVENESS.(SOT6:18:03) 12 IT'S GOING TOTAKE TIME AND WE'VE GOT TO GETOUT THERE AND PROVE OURSELVESIN THE COMMUNITY, WORKING WITHUNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS HISUNCOMFORTABLE WITH.

NATS: (VO)OVER THE PAST WEEK NELSON SAYSHE, HIS GRANDDAUGHTER AND HERFRIEND HAVE GONE THROUGH AWIDE RANGE OF EMOTIONS.

(SOT6:18:50) 8 SEC HE ASKED THEMWHAT THE WORST THING I DID ANDSHE SAID YOU YELLED AT15-YEAR-OLD GIRLS.

NATS: (VO)IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, TODDWILSON, WPTV NC 5.