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Illinois man charged with hate crime for chasing Hispanic biker with an ice pick

Joseph Zens, of rural Gurnee, was driving an SUV when he abruptly cut off the 57-year-old victim and then yelled anti-Mexican slurs at the victim and told him t...

GURNEE, Ill. (AP) — Suburban Chicago officials have charged a man with a hate crime for an ice pick attack on a Hispanic man riding a motorcycle that displayed the Mexican flag.

Sheriff John Idleburg says 67-year-old Joseph Zens of rural Gurnee was driving an SUV Wednesday when he abruptly cut off the 57-year-old victim and then yelled anti-Mexican slurs at the victim and told him to go back to his country. Zens then allegedly got an ice pick from his SUV and began chasing the victim, striking him once with the weapon.

Idleburg says deputies later spoke with Zens at his residence and located an ice pick in the SUV. Zens also was charged with aggravated assault and is being held in the Lake County Jail on $15,000 bail.

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