Charles Valle Jr. has been charged with assault in connection with an encounter involving a teen in Harford County. Now, one group is calling for hate crime charges to be added.
Dawar Aamir, 19, said he was driving on Rt. 22 and Churchville Road when he said he was verbally harassed by Valle Jr.
Aamir said he drove off and Valle Jr. followed him into a parking lot, blocked his car and became aggressive. The victim said the man hit him in the face and shouted racist remarks and obscenities at him.
A witness said he stepped in between the two men and Valle Jr. eventually drove off. Valle Jr. has been charged with assault charges.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) would like to see hate crime charges added.
"In all my years here, I've never experienced anything remotely close to this and seeing the rise in it now and having to face it myself and seeing how the justice system is handling it," Aamir said. "I just ask the justice system please to acknowledge what this was. That this is a hate crime and please charge it for what it was before more people are hurt because I wouldn't wish this pain and humiliation on my worst enemy."
