Man from Macomb Co. accused of rage against Harris-Walz volunteers, charged with assault and hate crimes

St Clair Shores – A 55-year-old man has been charged with multiple assault and hate crime charges after Macomb County prosecutors said he allegedly made homophobic comments before driving his car towards volunteers handing out literature last month for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Jason Lafond of St. Clair Shores was arraigned late Thursday afternoon in 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores and released on personal bail after pleading not guilty to three counts of assault and three counts of ethnic intimidation, Prosecutor Pete of Macomb County Lucido said Friday.

The latter is contradictory Michigan’s hate crime law, including sexual orientation.

District Judge Mark Fratarcangeli ordered Lafond to wear a GPS tether and not contact the alleged victims, Lucido said.

“There were three people handing out campaign materials, that’s why there are three counts each,” Lucido said of the Oct. 12 incident.

Felony assault in Michigan carries a prison sentence of up to four years, while hate crimes carry a prison sentence of two years.

Lafond’s attorney Joseph Arnone said he is still awaiting discovery in the case.

“We move forward with the presumption of innocence,” he said. “I’m curious to see what the research has revealed.”

According to Lucido and witnesses who spoke to The Detroit News, Lafond allegedly drove to the lot outside the VFW Bruce Post on Jefferson Avenue near Martin, where a tent promoting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump had previously been set up.

When the volunteers told Lafond they were with the Harris-Walz campaign, he reportedly became enraged and hurled anti-gay slurs at them. Lafond allegedly got into his car, revved the engine and drove it toward three of the victims before stopping just feet away, Lucido said.

“The car was the weapon he used, therefore it is an assault charge,” the prosecutor said.

St. Clair Shores resident Melissa Crook, who told The News she was in the path of Lafonds’ vehicle when he drove it toward them, said she was glad charges had been filed against the defendant.

“I’m grateful that the process is working as intended, and that no one is playing politics with this,” she said.

Lucido said his office has no deputy investigators and that he made his charging decision based on a report from St. Clair Shores police, who did not return a call Friday.

“We have a few former police officers investigating, but we don’t have deputy investigators like (Wayne County Prosecutor) Kym Worthy, so I can’t conduct my own investigation and we have to rely on what’s in the police report. Lucido said. “Their report was based on statements from the witnesses and statements made by the suspect after he spoke to the police.”

Crook said she and her fellow volunteers did not record Lafond’s alleged crimes on their cellphones and that the VFW hall did not have a video camera pointed at the area.

An employee at the Kaul Funeral Home across the street from where the incident allegedly occurred told The News there are no surveillance cameras in the facility.

Lucido said St. Clair Shores received a description of Lafond’s Mercedes after volunteers called 911 to report the alleged incident. When city officials stopped Lafond for a traffic violation the next day, they asked about his involvement in the alleged hate crime and assault.

When asked if Lafond has confessed, Lucido said, “I can’t comment on that right now. My decision to file charges is based on the St. Clair Shores police report, which includes statements from the witnesses and the defendant. Furthermore, I will just say that we will present the case that we have when the time comes.”

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