When he's defiantly--not accidentally--breaking the law. And she did know him, according to the article, since he was constantly trespassing in her pool. As others have said, if I'd run home complaining that my neighbor had smacked me after I put my sweaty little body into her pool without permission--again--and topped it off by mouthing off at her, in this case probably using obscenities, they would have laughed. And spanked me.
. . . in the early 1960s. There are many things about that time we need to revisit.
It’s not the 60’s anymore.