Video shows man vandalizing Pride Intersection; arrest made
https://cbs12.com/news/local/one-person-arrested-for-defacing-pride-intersection-in-delray-beach (https://archive.ph/eLG0X)DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — One person has been arrested and accused of defacing the LGBTQ Pride Intersection in Delray Beach.
Alexander Jerich, 20, turned himself in Thursday afternoon.
He is charged with criminal mischief over $1,000, reckless driving, and evidence of prejudice (felony enhancement).
On Monday, Jerich was seen by witnesses, and recorded on a cellphone, doing what appeared to be an intentional “burnout” with his vehicle over the LGBTQ pride crosswalk at the intersection of NE 1st Street and NE 2nd Avenue.
This caused the vehicle to create significant damage to the streetscape painting.
"Kudos to the Delray Beach Police Department for swiftly identifying and arresting this hateful criminal," said PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch. "PBCHRC has requested the charges include defacing a memorial -- a recently enacted law which would require this crime to be treated as a felony. If convicted of this offense, the perpetrator would be responsible for reimbursing the City of Delray Beach for the cost of repairing the damages in addition the severe penalties for committing a felony"
Nicholas Coppola is a member of the Palm Beach County LGBTQ Community Center in Lake Worth Beach, and one of the leaders behind this rainbow artwork that was years in the making.
"There are many things that indicate this is a hate crime targeted against the community," Coppola said. "I hate to say I was saddened, but not surprised. There’s a part of me that expected it. Unfortunately, we deal with this every day.”
Police said the vandalism happened sometime Tuesday morning.
"People think this is a skid mark, but we’d had so many of trans-children killed in these past few years in a short period of time, so this is a much deeper problem," Coppola said.
The city unveiled the new intersection on Saturday. The artwork was dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando five years ago.