Man Charged with Hate Crime in Alameda County

Jesus Hernandez, 40, has been charged with a misdemeanor hate crime, felony criminal threats, and brandishing a replica firearm in Alameda County. The charges stem from an incident on a freeway where Hernandez allegedly threatened to kill a driver displaying an Israeli flag, shouted racial slurs, and pointed a replica firearm at the victim. Following the freeway incident, he is accused of using the replica gun to assault the victim after they exited the freeway in Fremont. Hernandez has been arraigned and is scheduled for a plea hearing on October 31, 2024. The case has drawn attention to issues of hate crimes, particularly against individuals based on their ethnicity or national origin.