LEXINGTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A Lexington man was in court Tuesday where he was charged with allegedly committing hate crimes against his neighbors.
Robert Ivarson allegedly threw banana peels in his neighbors’ driveway. Ivarson’s neighbors are a black family who have lived in Concord for four years and said they have never had any problems before.
The family initially called police in December after they said around 40 banana peels were thrown on their car and in their driveway throughout the past year. The family said the tires on one of their cars were also slashed. They told police they believe this was racially motivated, as they are the only black family in the neighborhood.
Police set up security cameras to catch the suspect and said they caught Ivarson in the act after viewing the camera footage.
Ivarson was charged with civil rights violations and criminal harassment. A judge set Ivarson’s bail at $10,000 and ordered him to remain under house arrest and have no contact with his neighbors. The family also asked the judge for a restraining order, the mother telling the judge her daughter is scared. A year-long restraining order was put into effect.
Ivarson’s attorney said his client was drinking at the time of the offenses and that he was never violent to his neighbors. He is due back in court in February.
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