Mary Esther resident Ernest Emory Davis faces a hate crime charge of aggravated battery for yelling racist slurs at a neighbor and running into his home with a truck.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said on Jan. 30 Davis poured kerosene in front of the home of William Hawthorne, called Hawthorne out using racial slurs and said “I want to kill you.”

Davis, 64, of 402 East Pine St., is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (the hate crime), aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and resisting arrest.

He is also charged for throwing an unidentified 81-year-old man off a porch, breaking the man’s pelvis.

A police report indicates that the victims of Davis’ attack lived on same grounds where Davis had his travel trailer home. Hawthorne’s residence was described as “a small shed.”

Hawthorne told deputies Davis “was upset with him because Davis believed he stole some metal roofing tin.”

He said he heard Davis calling him names and smelled kerosene. Hawthorne told investigators he was at the door of the residence when he saw Davis climb into his F-150 pickup and drive toward the home.

“Hawthorne advised Davis hit one side of the building, backed up and hit the building again,” the report said.

The force of the impact threw Hawthorne into the bathroom, the report said.

The second victim said Davis entered his residence following the truck attack.

The victim “advised he was on the front steps trying to calm Davis down when Davis threw him down.”

The second man landed on the sidewalk. It would later be determined he had broken his pelvis in two places.

A hand full of witnesses in the vicinity of Hawthorne’s home told investigators they heard the racist slurs Davis was shouting.

Florida law provides for an enhanced or aggravated sentence for an individual convicted of a hate crime, according to information put out on the website of criminal defense attorneys Pagan and Stroleny

“A hate crime is essentially a crime committed against an individual because of that individual’s race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, gender, disability or sexual orientation,” the website said. “Hate crimes include a range of crimes including assault, assault with a weapon, robbery, harassment, vandalism, rape and murder.”