Update On SEPTA Exec's Dispute With Shore Neighbor
NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. - It was an early-summer argument caught on tape between a couple of Jersey Shore neighbors. One of them is a top SEPTA executive.
Since that ugly fight there's been more to the story. Jeff Cole has the new twist to this FOX 29 Investigates report.
It was a rocky start to the summer of 2016 for Bill Teichman and his Jersey Shore neighbor, Fran Kelly.
Bill Teichman: "Neighbors from hell, man."
Fran Kelly: "I'm gonna cut it."
Bill Teichman: "Just f---ing move, man."
Fran Kelly: "No, you move, you a--hole."
As FOX 29 Investigates reported in August, Teichman and Kelly traded insults and swears on Memorial Day Weekend along West 13th Avenue in North Wildwood - all over a garden hose.
"I'm telling you get this hose out of here or else I'm cutting it," Fran Kelly says on the video.
Teichman claimed he ran a hose to drain his hot tub along the property line. Kelly (on the other side of the fence in the video) said it was on his land. The debate got ugly.
Teichman: "F--- you!"
Kelly: "Come on over here. You want me to go get my sneaks on?"
Teichman: (Laughs.)
Kelly: "I'll punch the shit out of you!"
Teichman: "You're not worth it, you punk!"
Kelly: "Yeah, you're a punk. I'll beat the whole family up, including your wife!"
Teichman: "Wow!"
Kelly: "Everybody in the house. Bring them out!"
Teichman's son captured the conflict on his cell phone. His father sent it to Kelly's employer, SEPTA, where he's the $182,000-a-year Assistant General Manager for Government and Public Affairs.
SEPTA - which has been plagued by delays this summer when it had to pull 120 of its Silverliner 5s due to safety concerns - called the beach community confrontation "a regrettable incident" but wrote it was "a private matter that does not require any action by SEPTA."
Both the Teichmans and the Kellys accused each other of making threats and filed criminal complaints with police.
Cole: "Are you frightened?"
Denise Teichman: "Yes, yes, I am. I'm scared. I'm very scared to be here by myself."
Cole: "Do you think he'll act on it?"
Denise Teichman: "To see him the way he was that day, I wouldn't put it past him."
When we spoke to Francis Kelly, he called it "a sensational Jeff Cole story."
Cole: "Well, listen, I'm not the guy who said I'm going to beat the s--- out of the family, including your wife. That was you."
Kelly: "You're not the woman who said you're going to smack my…"
Cole: "You're not going to attack a woman."
Kelly: "I would never."
Cole: "Come on, you're a big, fit guy. Come on. "
Kelly: "I would never."
We showed the recording to former Pennsylvania State Police Sgt. Bill LaTorre.
"If this is about a hose today, move the hose, and let's all move on peacefully," said LaTorre, who held the position of district commander while with the state police and is now a security consultant.
"You can't threaten people. You can't terrorize them. You can't, you know, purport that you're going to take on all of the occupants in the building and beat everybody up," LaTorre said.
After Fox 29 Investigates pressed Kelly on the conflict at a SEPTA board meeting, we heard from high-profile city lawyer, George Bochetto. In letters to FOX 29, Bochetto, among other complaints, accused Teichman of:
-- Causing Kelly's paver walkway to heave by draining his tub;
-- Placing his hot tub too close to the property line (Teichman moved it);
-- And argued a section of Teichman's fence was on Kelly's property.
But after a court hearing, both sides chose mediation to try to settle the heated dispute
Teichman tells FOX 29 that Kelly has apologized.
And Teichman says Kelly was "unable to prove" during mediation the issues raised by his lawyer.
In an email, Kelly told FOX 29, "I'm pleased to say we've resolved our differences through mediation," adding, "We're glad to be moving forward."
In our interview, Kelly said he was wrong to threaten his neighbor.
Teichman says he and Kelly have signed an agreement to drop all charges and adds "all is cool, now."
They're even waving to each other across that fence in North Wildwood, Cole reported.
Have a tip for the FOX 29 Investigates team? Email us at fox29.undercover@foxtv.com or like Jeff Cole's Facebook page and send a message!