In reversal, NC police no longer suspect SUV driver intentionally hit 6 migrant workers
The North Carolina driver who was charged with driving his SUV into a group of migrant farm workers, and injuring six of them outside a Lincolnton Walmart over the weekend, sparked a flurry of hate crime suspicions and made national news from The New York Times to People magazine.
But that initial narrative changed in just a few short hours Monday.
On Sunday, the day of the incident, Lincolnton police said in a statement the SUV turning into the group of men on a tree-lined median “appears to be an intentional assault with a vehicle.”
Driver accused of hitting 6 migrant workers at NC Walmart says it was an accident, cops say
And on Monday the Carolina Migrant Network put out a statement saying, “We are outraged by the hate crime that occurred in Lincolnton... The event comes as no surprise as we have repeatedly seen these incidents at national and state level.”
But shortly before 6 p.m. Monday, 68-year-old Hickory resident Daniel Gonzalez turned himself in to the Lincolnton Police Department, where he was charged with felony hit-and-run.
Family members told officers that Gonzalez informed them earlier Monday he accidentally stepped on the gas when parking at Walmart Sunday afternoon. When he realized he’d hit people, “he panicked and left the scene,” according to a police news release.
‘Lot of speculation’ about hate crime outside NC Walmart
At the outset of the case, Major Brian Greene told The Charlotte Observer Tuesday he ensured the department made clear they did not know the motive or intent of the driver. Based off surveillance video that showed Gonzalez speeding up and driving away, police thought the incident may have been intentional.
“I think there was a lot of speculation” at first about motive, Greene said.
They were prepping officers to search for the 73 different Hyundai Tucson SUVs across Catawba and Lincoln counties that matched the description of Gonzalez’ vehicle when he walked into the office, Greene said.
Now, after interviewing Gonzalez and his family members, police believe the incident was accidental. Had officers determined Gonzalez meant to plow through the workers, he could have faced charges of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting injury with intent to kill, Greene said.
By 1 p.m. Tuesday, Gonzalez had posted his $50,000 bond and no longer was in jail.
The Knob Creek Orchard workers were left with a number of injuries, including concussions and broken legs and ankles, said Candace Elmore, whose family owns the orchard.
Hate crimes in NC, US
Meanwhile, the Carolina Migrant Network also reconsidered its stance about the incident.
“In light of the updated news that the driver of the vehicle was not motivated by animus, CMN is pleased this is not a hate crime,” said Daniela Andrade, a network spokeswoman, in an email to the Observer.
The network’s previous statement was in response to initial suspicion the incident was motivated by anti immigrant sentiment — which is spreading nationally and locally, Andrade said.
The Lincolnton incident came nearly two months after a driver plowed through a group of migrants — killing eight — as they waited for a bus in Brownsville, Texas. The driver in that case, George Alvarez, 34, has been charged with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
According to data the network cited from the U.S. Department of Justice, hate crimes against Latinos are at an all-time high. In 2020, 79.6% of hate crimes in North Carolina were race-motivated.
