Bronx man charged with hate crimes after allegedly punching Hispanic woman in the face and yelling insults at her, Brooklyn prosecutor says

(CNN) — A Bronx man was charged with hate crimes Tuesday after he allegedly assaulted a woman and yelled insults at her for being Hispanic, according to prosecutors.

The victim, a 72-year-old woman, was allegedly assaulted while speaking in Spanish and English on the phone on Jan. 18, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office said.

The woman was waiting for a train at a subway station when the defendant, 43-year-old Lamont Dinkins, allegedly cursed at her and said, “Stop speaking Spanish, you Spanish bitch,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. of press.

Dinkins then allegedly punched the woman repeatedly in the face and head before boarding a southbound R train, according to the news release. He was arrested at the Barclays Center, which was the next stop.

Dinkins was charged with hate crimes on Tuesday. He is charged with Intentional Assault, Attempted Intentional Assault, Hate Crime Involuntary Assault, Hate Crime Intimidating Assault and Intentional Aggravated Harassment.

He is being held on $50,000 bond and was ordered back in court on April 1.

CNN was unable to reach Dinkins’ attorney, Martha Lineberger with Legal Aid.

“Bias-motivated attacks will not be tolerated in Brooklyn, which prides itself on its diversity and inclusion,” said District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “This alleged attack on an elderly Spanish-speaking woman was particularly egregious due to the victim’s vulnerability and the defendant’s hateful language. We will now seek accountability for her alleged actions.”

The Hate Crimes Panel from the New York City Police Department shows that between January 1, 2021 and December 29, 2021, there were eight confirmed incidents of hate crimes against people who identified as Hispanic, with four arrests.