Photo: Volusia County Division of Corrections
A Florida man is facing hate crime charges after allegedly smashing the window of a vehicle with three young Black teens inside and shouting racial slurs.
According to anews releasefrom the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the incident took place at a gas station before 3 p.m. on Jan. 22 in Osteen, Fla.
The teens, who are between 17 and 18 years of age, were getting gas when the suspect, 58-year-old Richard Burnham, became “hostile and aggressive” toward them and started using racial slurs, the news release states.
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office
In the incident report, police said the impact from the weapon shattered the passenger window and made dents along the passenger door panels. As the teens drove off to get away, Burnham allegedly followed them for about two miles before turning away in an unknown direction.
Surveillance video from inside the gas station store, where Burnham purchased beer, helped police identify him as the suspect and locate him.
Burnham allegedly told a detective he did engage in a verbal altercation with the teens, and that he became aggressive after being struck with an airsoft gun. He also claimed that during the incident, the teens threatened to kill him, per the police.
The VCSO said Burnham never reported being attacked to authorities. VCSO stated there were discrepancies in his account of the incident and authorities never found evidence of an airsoft gun.
Burnham was initially charged with criminal mischief causing damage of $1,000 or more and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, said the news release, adding that the charges were enhanced to a hate crime since the suspect used racial slurs.
He was taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail and released after posting a $40,000 bond Wednesday.
source: people.com
