California Man Accused Of Throwing Coins At Muslim Women

IRVINE (AP) - A Southern California man is facing hate crime charges after he allegedly yelled a religious slur and threw coins at two Muslim women -- one wearing a hijab.

The Los Angeles Times says Brandon Ricardo Pascual was arrested Wednesday and charged with two felony counts of assault-hate crime with ability to cause injury. It wasn't immediately known if the 35-year-old Irvine resident has an attorney.

Investigators say the women had just left a store and were walking to their car in March when Pascual drove up and berated them.

A few minutes later, while the pair had stopped at a red light, Pascual pulled beside them and threw coins at them through an open window.

Irvine police used surveillance footage to identify Pascual.

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