“It’s about time”: Concord man relieved to see neighbor arrested for hate crimes
After repeated threats and slurs, neighbors didn’t feel safe in their homes
CONCORD, N.C. (WBTV) - Justin Mejia says that for the first time in nearly two years, his family no longer feels threatened in their own home.
“It was stressful really,” Mejia said. “We couldn’t really have people over because he would just stay cussing or yelling for some reason. Traumatizing, honestly.”
Mejia says that his next-door neighbor Marian Hudak constantly harassed, threatened, and intimidated his family — who are from Mexico — for years.
“[He would say to us] F---- Mexicans, go to hell, just racist things,” Mejia said. “I got called the n-word, a bunch of times.”
Hudak was arrested yesterday on two different federal charges: interference with federally protected activities, and criminal interference with right to fair housing.
An affidavit from the FBI outlines another instance in which Hudak allegedly tried to run a black driver off the road, then followed the man to his apartment and threatened to kill him.
Mejia says the harassment went far beyond words and threats. Hudak allegedly wrote Mejia’s mother’s name and home address on his truck, which was also decorated with Trump and confederate flags.
“He would say ‘burn, go to hell [on his truck],’” Mejia said. “He would put ‘Mexicans, go back to your country, go to hell, they sell drugs.’”
The verbal assaults became physical between Hudak and Mejia on November 26, 2021, according to the FBI affidavit. The two got into an argument over Mejia’s car being too loud and shining headlights into Hudak’s home, which led to a physical altercation on Mejia’s front lawn.
That led to Mejia’s family putting up a fence between the two properties, with the Mexican flag waving in the middle.
“My mom was like ‘we’re not backing down.’ If he comes again, then he gets what he deserves.”
Hudak is expected to appear in Durham on Monday morning for a preliminary hearing.
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