Fullerton resident Roger Janke, 28, has been charged by the Orange County District Attorney with a hate crime for throwing rocks at a 38-year old Asian woman and her six-year-old son, cracking the woman’s windshield, as they were driving near Hughes Drive and Bastanchury Road in Fullerton on March 31. The woman drove to a nearby park and called 911. Janke later told police Koreans in the area were trying to control him.
Janke is accused of throwing two rocks at the passing vehicle, damaging her bumper and cracking her windshield. Janke has been charged with one felony count of violation of civil rights, one felony count of vandalism, one misdemeanor count of throwing a substance at a vehicle, and one felony hate crime enhancement.
He faces a maximum sentence of six years in State prison and six months in the Orange County jail. He has pled not guilty and is currently being held on bail at the Theo Lacy Facility.
“I refuse to tolerate hate in Orange County,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “A woman and her child should be able to drive down the street without worrying about being attacked because of the color of their skin. Our commitment to continuing to prosecute hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law is sending a strong message to all the haters out there – there is no room for hate here – or anywhere.”
This event comes amidst a rise in Anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents, and calls by local leaders to take action against it.
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Categories: Local News
Living in northwest Fullerton, many of my good neighbors were Korean. It was a pleasure to know them and I admired their work ethic, their intelligence and kindness. From what I have seen on the media, the majority of persons who commit hate crimes against Asians are nothing more than thugs who I suspect know they will never be anything more than thugs. These thugs know they are stupid and resent the intelligence and success of the Asian community.
Godspeed DA Spitzer. You’ve got your work cut out. OC is still a bastion of bigotry, hordes recently uncloseted, given permission to be their true ugly selves. Some younger gen but overwhelmingly white boomers, thankfully nearing the end of their sad narrow fear-driven journey to clear the way for evolution.