Toms River man accused of making racist and homophobic slurs, attacking victim’s car

TOMS RIVER - A township man was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday on charges of bias intimidation and criminal mischief, after authorities said he made racial and homophobic slurs at a man before shattering his car window, said Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.

The Nov. 22 incident occurred on Parisian Drive while the victim was visiting an acquaintance in the Holiday City at Silverton section of the township, according to a statement from the Prosecutor’s Office.

The defendant, Patrick Pennell, 55, of Toms River, is a neighbor of the acquaintance, according to the statement. A detailed account of the circumstances that led to the confrontation was not released Thursday night.

As the victim was trying to leave, the Prosecutor’s Office said Pennell approached the victim and punched the driver’s side window of the victim’s vehicle, causing it to break.

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The police were called and Pennell was taken into custody and charged on a summons before the matter was referred to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Senior Assistant Prosecutor Ashley Angelo and Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterson presented the case to the grand jury.

The Bias Crime Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office and Toms River Police Department investigated the incident.

Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Toms River man accused of hate crime, smashing car window