25-year-old Oakland County man charged with ethnic intimidation in road rage incident
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A 25-year-old man has been charged with the ethnic intimidation of a 62-year-old man in connection to a road rage incident in Southfield.
Alexander Gojcevic of Farmington Hills was arraigned on one count of ethnic intimidation (felony charge punishable by up to two years in prison or by a fine of up to $5,000), two counts of felonious assault (felony charge punishable by up to four years in prison and up to a $2,000 fine) and one count of malicious destruction of property over $200 and under $1,000 (misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a $2,000 fine).
The road rage incident happened on Sunday, May 14, and Gojcevic allegedly yelled a racial slur at a 62-year-old Black man, stabbed the victim and then slashed his tires.
"We've seen a concerning increase in the number of racial and ethnic intimidation cases lately and I want our community members to know that behavior will not be tolerated in Oakland County," said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. "All residents deserve to feel safe in their homes, in public, and on our roads. Maliciously attacking another driver while yelling racial slurs is unacceptable, and my office intends to hold this defendant and anyone else who commits hate crimes accountable."
He was given a $25,000 cash surety bond, and his probable cause conference is scheduled for May 31.