If you spend a lot of time driving a car and little time flying an aircraft, the natural instinctual reaction when panicked is to use the aircraft yoke as a ‘steering wheel’.
(BTW kansarasc: I was taught from day 1 to use the elevator and ailerons during taxi, to take account of wind. Even in zero wind conditions, the elevator should be used during taxi, in a tricycle undercarriage aircraft, to take a bit of weight off the nose wheel.)
Give the kid a break. He walked away.