A McHenry man has been charged in a hate crime where authorities say he spat on an African American man multiple times and called him racial slurs near Spring Grove.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded on September 9 to the 37900 block of North Lake Vista Terrace in unincorporated Spring Grove for a call of a battery that just occurred.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and spoke to the victim, a 66-year-old Round Lake Beach man, and several witnesses.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli told Lake and McHenry County Scanner the victim and the witnesses were leaving a friend’s home in the neighborhood.
They were approached by an unknown man while getting into their car.
The man began shouting racial slurs at the group, including the victim, who is African American, Covelli said.
The group ignored the irate man and got into the vehicle.
The car began backing up to leave the residence and the male suspect spat through an open window onto the victim.
The man continued shouting racial slurs and spat on the victim a second time, Covelli said.
The group was able to drive away without being further accosted by the man.
Sheriff’s deputies and detectives conducted an investigation and worked to identify the suspect.
Covelli said investigators eventually identified the suspect as David A. Lacchei, 35, of McHenry.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the charges of hate crime and battery against Lacchei.
An arrest warrant was obtained for Lacchei in early May. A judge set bond on the warrant at $100,000.
Lacchei was arrested earlier this month in Racine, Wisconsin, and later transported to the Lake County Jail.
Lacchei remains held in the Lake County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.