Man charged with hate crime, accused of swearing at and spitting on man in Lombard, Illinois

A man stood charged with a hate crime Sunday following an incident at a bakery in the west Chicago suburb of Lombard last week.

Justin Ward, 34, was denied pretrial release when he appeared before DuPage County Judge Leah Bendik, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's office. Ward is charged with one count of a hate crime, and one count of aggravated battery in a public place — both felonies.

At 9:19 p.m. Friday, Lombard police were called to Crave Cookies, at 217 E. Roosevelt Rd. in Lombard, for a disturbance. Prosecutors said police learned that Ward began shouting at a man in the parking lot of the bakery, and when the man ignored Ward, Ward followed him inside the bakery.

In the bakery, Ward yelled at the man, "f*** Iran," and, "I can't' f***ing stand you Indians," prosecutors said. He also spat at the man, striking him in the neck and chest, prosecutors said.

The victim left the bakery and walked out to his car, and Ward followed him, prosecutors said. Ward fled the scene when he heard police sirens, but police caught up with him at his home and took him into custody, prosecutors said.

Ward is due back in court April 6 before Judge Daniel Guerin.