Lancaster man indicted on hate crime charges after Cheektowaga road rage incident

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Lancaster man was indicted on hate crime charges Thursday morning after he assaulted, harassed and yelled racial slurs at a mother and her children during a road rage incident that took place in May in Cheektowaga, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced.

A viral video had captured the incident, which occurred at 6:50 a.m. on May 6. Officials said 35-year-old Justin Goodrich yelled profanity and racial slurs at the victim with the intent to harass, annoy or alarm, while their vehicles were stopped at the intersection of Union Road and George Urban Boulevard.

Goodrich is accused of knowingly acting in a way that could cause physical, mental or moral injuries to the two children inside of the vehicle, who were on their way to school.

The victim, Cheektowaga resident Adreana Jemison, reportedly threw coins at Goodrich, which is when he exited his vehicle, reached through the open passenger side window of Jemison’s car, and grabbed her child around the collar of her shirt.

Goodrich’s grip caused a scratch on her neck and damage to the collar of her shirt, officials said. He is accused of trying to cause physical injury to the child and yelling racial slurs toward the victims during the incident.

After the incident, Goodrich drove away and Jemison followed him to a residence on Laurentian Drive, where he reportedly continued to yell racial slurs.

Jemison then filed a police report and Goodrich was arrested after he voluntarily turned himself into police. Initially, he did not face any hate crime charges.

He was charged with the following:

• one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime
• one count of third-degree attempted assault as a hate crime
• one count of second-degree aggravated harassment
• two counts of endangering the welfare of a child

Goodrich is scheduled to return for a pre-trial conference on Nov. 17. He was released on his own recognizance. The three temporary issues of protection for Jemison and her two children remain in effect.

He faces up to four years in prison, if convicted of the highest charge.