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player ready...A 24-year-old Gurnee man is free on $50,000 bond after he was charged with a hate crime for allegedly threatening a biracial couple outside a Gurnee grocery store, authorities said.
Eric D. Hanson of the 17500 block of West Hawk Court allegedly approached a 42-year-old black man from North Chicago in the parking lot of a Dominick’s store Sunday evening, said Steve Scheller, chief of felony review for the Lake County state’s attorney’s office.
Hanson, who is white, allegedly yelled racial slurs at the man, his girlfriend–who is white–and their 2-year-old son, Scheller said.
Hanson also threatened to harm the man, Scheller said. No one was hurt, but Hanson reportedly pushed a shopper who tried to intervene, Scheller said.
The man told Hanson he did not want to fight in front of his family, Scheller said.
Scheller said Hanson continued to threaten the man and use racial epithets after Gurnee police arrived.
A hate crime is a felony punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison, Scheller said.