Alleged road rage-related hate crime caught on camera in California

IRVINE, Calif. (KTLA) – What police describe as a road rage-related hate crime in California last week was caught on camera, showing a 54-year-old man appear to throw a cup of hot coffee at another motorist after reportedly hurling racial slurs at the man.

The alleged assault unfolded on July 22 at around 9:30 a.m., the Irvine Police Department said in a news release.   

It’s unclear exactly how the ordeal began, though police said the victim was driving in the southbound lanes of Sand Canyon Avenue when he encountered Leon Tackett yelling at a Hispanic truck driver.   

After passing the initial altercation, Tackett followed the victim and proceeded to aggressively swerve into his lane multiple times, nearly causing several collisions. 

“Tackett shouted racial slurs at the victim before throwing a cup of hot coffee into the victim’s vehicle,” the release stated. “The liquid landed on the victim’s face, hands, and on the interior of his car.” 

In footage of the incident captured by the victim, Tackett, behind the wheel of a white Ford sprinter van with a ladder on top, can be seen speeding to get next to the victim’s vehicle, at one point saying, ‘Hey, man, film me all you want to,” before the cup he’s seen holding in his van lands on the victim inside his vehicle.  

After the incident, a family member of the victim posted the video to social media and reported the frightening ordeal to police, who tracked down the 54-year-old and took him into custody on July 24.  

Authorities said he was booked for aggravated assault and a hate crime.  

Officials also believe there might be additional victims of Tackett, as well as others who witnessed the most recent incident. Anyone with additional information or with footage of the alleged crime is urged to email rsteen@cityofirvine.org.