Again, an African-American family was targeted, and again, the perpetrator was white.

However, this time the assailant was not a middle-aged, rumored former Klan member, but he was a juvenile - merely an 11-year-old boy.

The juvenile male has been referred to juvenile court by Colebrookdale District police for ethnic intimidation and criminal mischief after using motor oil and tire repair fluid to slather racial epithets on the driveway and deck of Nadiyah Gary, 35, of 1263 County Line Road, according to Det. David Guida of Colebrookdale District police.

The male lives a few houses away from Gary on County Line Road in the 1200 block, which is near Cabot Supermetals. Over three separate occasions the incidents occurred, which started in the beginning of the month.

Guida gave this account:

The first incident happened a day or two prior to June 6 when Gary found motor oil covering her driveway and deck. Two days later, Gary discovered the oil formed the N-word and contacted police.

"She didn't see the racial slurs for a day or two," said Guida. "You had to be at the right angle to see it."

Then, on June 8, motor oil was used again to draw an offensive expression involving the F-word on Gary's driveway.

It was not until the third incident, June 14, when Gary reported to police another offensive expression was marked on her driveway with tire repair fluid, a green slime, and officials traced the slime trailing to the juvenile's residence.

Guida said he has not spoken with the juvenile and is not sure why he committed the acts. The detective said if the juvenile had performed the crime 18 months earlier, he would not be referred. In Pennsylvania, an individual must be 10 years old to be considered an assailant in a crime.

"Eighteen months later, by virtue of his age, he is arrested," said Guida.
The detective said juvenile court is deciding whether to render the juvenile a delinquent or consider other alternatives.

The recent incident has been the third racially motivated incident in the area since October when Richard Rick Sr., 42, of Boyertown attempted to burn a cross in the lawn of the Defoes' residence in Douglass (Montg.) Township.

The second crime happened at Boyertown Junior High West
earlier this year when a 17-year-old male was charged for writing racial slurs on lavatory walls.

Last month, members of the National Socialist Movement, a Neo-Nazi group, distributed anti-semitism literature on the corner of Philadelphia and Reading avenues in Boyertown.

Please send any comments to ajenkins@berksmontnews.com.