A resident of The Villages was jailed on a hate crime after an alleged shopping cart attack at a grocery store.
Zachary Joseph Leas, 36, who lives at 615 Webb Way in the Village of Silver Lake, was arrested shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday after he “intentionally drove a shopping cart” into the abdomen of another man while both were in the crosswalk at the Winn-Dixie supermarket on Bichara Boulevard, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. Leas was “yelling racial slurs in reference to the victim being African American,” the report said.
The victim left the scene after the incident, but was found by police on Rolling Acres Road. He completed a sworn statement detailing the attack. Independent witnesses verified his version of events.
Leas was charged with a hate crime. Booking photos taken at the Lake County Jail show that Leas has a “Coexist” tattoo, that includes a peace symbol, the Star of David, a cross and an Islamic crescent moon. The artist who created the original symbol said it was designed to represent tolerance between religions.
The Pennsylvania native was released after posting $5,000 bond.
