BUFFALO, N.Y. — BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Lockport man charged following a traffic accident that ended with an altercation is now facing hate crime charges.
Jeffrey Calhoun, 62, is charged with one count of Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree as a Hate Crime, a Class “D” felony, one count of Menacing in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, a Class “E” felony, one count of Criminal Impersonation in the First Degree, a Class “E” felony, and one count of Assault in the Third Degree, a Class “A” misdemeanor, following an incident in July.
Calhoun was previously charged with Attempted Robbery 1st, Menacing 2nd, and Harassment 2nd.
The incident July 16 near the intersection of Colvin and St. Lawrence Avenues.
A Buffalo Police spokesperson says it started when a woman allegedly rear-ended Calhoun's vehicle, and then a verbal altercation followed.
The Erie County District Attorney's office says Calhoun tried to steal a purse from the woman and displayed a handgun. Calhoun is also accused of grabbing the victim, biting her left arm, and throwing her to the ground.
Witnesses took video of the incident that was posted on Facebook, and at one point, you can see a man, identified by police as Calhoun, holding a gun during the struggle.
(WARNING: Inappropriate language may be offensive to some)
Calhoun's alleged victim, Jeanneie Muhammad, appeared a news conference following the altercation, along with her husband Dahveed Muhammad and Precious Santiaga, who took the video of the incident initially from her front porch.
Mrs. Muhammad said the accident occurred when she was on her way to pick up her children from school.
"When I went to reach over to get my insurance out of the glove compartment that's when he reached into the car, snatched my keys, and said I think you're gonna run," she recalled.
Later, she alleged that Calhoun "grabbed me by the hoodie and threw me to the ground. So we are on the ground wrestling and he tries to take my purse from me."
Santiago lives in a second-floor apartment across the street from where the incident took place.
Santiago said when it appeared that Calhoun began biting Mohammed, she and others went over to intercede. A bit later on the video, Calhoun produces a handgun and advises those gathering around him to not "hit me anymore."
Members of The National Association for Equal Justice in America and the Buffalo Civil Rights Initiative insisted the incident had racial overtones and noted that Calhoun is white and his alleged victim is a black Muslim.