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Idaho Man Charged After Hurling Racial, Homophobic Slurs At Teen Church Group At McDonald's
Richard Sovenski, caught on video screaming at teenagers who had traveled from Spokane, Washington, to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, was charged with misdemeanor battery and felony malicious harassment.
An Idaho man has been arrested and charged for hurling racial and homophobic slurs at a Washington-based youth church group outside a McDonald's in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Richard Sovenski, 52, was caught on camera yelling at a group of teenagers in an incident that took place on July 12. A woman who was at the scene reportedly told Idaho-based weekly publication Inlander that the kids were “being rude, dancing and running around causing a disturbance.”
Jose Ceniceros, the youth group’s leader, refuted this claim. He told the Inlander that Sovenski started hurling abuses at them as the group was about to leave and sucker-punched him and threw him on the ground.
Ceniceros reportedly began recording once they were outside the store. He later shared the video with a journalist at the Inlander.
“Get a f---ing job f---ing morons!” Sovenski screams at the beginning of the video, while another man tries to stop the person from recording it. Capt. David Hagar with Coeur D'Alene City Police Department confirmed with Oxygen.com that the other man is Sovenski’s son.
“It’s why I don’t come to Idaho,” says a man behind the camera.
This appears to enrage Sovenski even more. “Yeah that’s why you don’t come to Idaho, you’re a f---ing idiot,” he screams.
He appears to be shouting at someone who’s not seen in the screen, but two girls, seemingly part of the group, look disturbed by the altercation. One of the women is black.
“You f---ing little f----t, get the f--k outta Idaho,” Sovenski goes on to say. “F--k you, you f---ing half-breed!”
At this point, his son, grabbing and shaking his crotch, tries to push Sovenski back into the store.
The group of teenagers were traveling from Spokane, Washington, to hear a preacher speak in Coeur d’Alene, Hagar told Oxygen.com.
The video was posted on the Inlander reporter’s Vimeo on July 17, where it has since received more than 54,000 views.
Sovenski fled the scene immediately after the incident, Hagar told Oxygen.com, and wasn't located for two days. He was arrested on July 17.
He was booked into Kootenai County jail and charged with misdemeanor battery and felony malicious harassment, Hagar confirmed with Oxygen.com.
Det. Dennis Stinebaugh at Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office told Oxygen.com on Thursday that his records show Sovenski is no longer in jail.
[Photo: Richard Sovenski and his son seen in the video by Jose Ceniceros]
