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On April 2, 2018 at approximately 11:00 pm officers responded to the parking lot of a business in the 800 block of S. College Avenue for what was initially reported as disorderly conduct, according to Lt. Fred Nelson.
Nelson said officers contacted the victim, a 20-year-old black male, who reported that the suspect, Christopher Thornton, 45, of Belle Chase, La., had slashed his vehicle tire after the two of them argued.
The victim stated that this incident began when he was asked by an acquaintance of Thornton’s if he could assist her in jumping her car battery. The victim, who did not know the acquaintance or Thornton, agreed to assist, however, Thornton began making racial slurs towards him as he was assisting the acquaintance, according to Nelson.
The victim stated Thornton then began making racial slurs directly to him and the two of them got into an argument. The victim eventually went into the business and returned to find the rear tire to his 2006 Chrysler Sebring had been slashed. Officers on scene were able to corroborate the victim’s version of events and arrested Thornton, Nelson said.
A fixed blade knife, believed to be the item used to slash the victim’s tire, was recovered from the vehicle Thornton had been in, according to Nelson. Thornton was later video arraigned in front of Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to Howard Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $1500 cash bond.
He was charged with Hate Crime w/ Underlying Offense is Violation or Unclassified Misdemeanor and Criminal Mischief Under $1000
