Delray police: Driver arrested in LGBTQ Pride crosswalk vandalism

DELRAY BEACH — An arrest has been made after police say a driver vandalized the newly painted LGBTQ Pride intersection and crosswalk in Delray Beach.

Alexander Jerich, 20, was charged Thursday with criminal mischief over $1,000, reckless driving and evidence of prejudice (felony enhancement).

On Monday, Jerich was seen by witnesses doing what appeared to be an intentional “burnout” with his vehicle over the LGBTQ pride crosswalk at the intersection of Northeast First Street and Northeast Second Avenue, police said. A video shows a pickup truck with a blue “all aboard the Trump train” flag flying from the rear of the truck. 

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This truck's maneuver caused the vehicle to create significant damage to the streetscape painting. Another witness provided the smartphone video of the crime. On Thursday, Jerich turned himself in at the Delray Beach Police Department. He did not wish to give a statement, police said.

Jerich was taken to the Palm Beach County Jail. It was unclear late Thursday when he would make his first appearance before a judge.

The multicolored street art installation was unveiled to the public Saturday.

The $16,000 street art, paid for by the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, features the traditional rainbow colors for gay, lesbian and bisexual pride, plus a few more: pink, white and blue for transgender people, and black and brown for people of color in the community.

"Kudos to the Delray Beach Police Department for swiftly identifying and arresting this hateful criminal," Rand Hoch, the Human Rights Council's president and founder, said in a prepared statement.

"PBCHRC has requested the charges include defacing a memorial – a recently enacted law which would require this crime to be treated as a felony. If convicted of this offense, the perpetrator would be responsible for reimbursing the City of Delray Beach for the cost of repairing the damages in addition the severe penalties for committing a felony."

Florida's newly passed "Combating Public Disorder Law" makes it a third-degree felony if someone "willfully and maliciously defaces, injures, or otherwise damages by any means a memorial or historic property."

The streetscape is a memorial defined as a painting and a permanent display dedicated to residents.

"What the vandals don't realize is how powerful and resilient the LGBTQ community is," said Julie Seaver, the executive director of Compass, an LGBTQ community center in Lake Worth Beach.

"We have to deal with this type of hate every single day. But we do know how to rally and organize, and we know how to stand together side by side, even in the face of hate."

Delray Beach isn’t the only city in Palm Beach County painting pride on its streets.

Boynton Beach approved in May spending $12,000 coloring the intersection at East Ocean Avenue and Southeast First Street. West Palm Beach has painted crosswalks in its Northwood neighborhood, funding it with money approved in August.