Boardman men charged with ethnic intimidation

BOARDMAN — Two 20-year-old Woodview Avenue men are charged with ethnic intimidation and criminal damaging, accused of throwing pumpkins at the home of and damaging tires of vehicles belonging to Asian neighbors.

Richard Wanamaker, 20, also is charged with underage alcohol consumption and Adam Kocjancic, 20, also is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Residents of a Buena Visa Avenue home, who are of Asian descent, told police that the tires on their two vehicles parked in the driveway were damaged about 3 a.m. Saturday.

The victims said they were awakened by a loud bang at the front door and found several pumpkins had been thrown against the front screen door and were smashed on the front porch.

Police found Wanamaker and Kocjancic at a small fire in a back yard on Woodview. Wanamaker told police that he had slashed the tires because he hated the victims.