BOISE, Idaho — An Oregon man pleaded guilty on Thursday to two federal hate crime charges for attempting to run three people over with his car in Boise last year -- prosecutors say he perceived these people as LGBTQ+.
As part of his plea agreement, Matthew Alan Lehigh, 31, also admitted he was responsible for three other anti-LGBTQ+ crimes that happened in Boise in 2022. He set fire to a pride flag on a Boise property, broke windows at an LGBTQ+ organization and punched a grocery store customer after Lehigh called him a slur.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Idaho, Lehigh faces up to nearly four years in prison and at least three years of supervised release, while under the care of a psychiatrist for his untreated mental illness. He also must pay restitution to the victims.
On Oct. 8, 2022, Lehigh approached a transgender employee at the Boise Public Library Main Branch, called her a slur, punched her and threatened to stab her, according to court documents.
When her coworker - who was a library security guard - intervened, Lehigh left the library and went into the parking lot. When the security guard tried confronting him, Lehigh admitted to getting into a car and accelerating toward the guard, trying to hit him. The guard jumped onto a concrete barricade and wasn't hurt.
Just days later, Lehigh yelled a homophobic threat and slur at two women in the parking lot of Kathryn Albertson Park who he believed were lesbian, court records show. Lehigh then intentionally drove his vehicle towards the women. They were able to jump out of the way, but he hit one of their cars.
KTVB previously spoke with one of the women who was almost hurt by Lehigh -- Vegas Shegrud said he could've killed her that day.
"He yelled 'I'm gonna run you over, you F-ing F-'...slur," Shegrud said. "He gripped the steering wheel... When I turned around, he backed out of his parking spot. And at some point, I decided he was really going to run me over," Shegrud said.
Just days before this incident, Lehigh can be seen posting to his YouTube channel, discussing his thoughts on murdering LGBTQA+ people in a church. Multiple videos were posted, one after the other, depicting his violent thoughts about LGBTQ+ people, especially the trans community. His channel was confirmed by police.
KTVB also previously reported Lehigh had a history of assault in Oregon.
"This defendant targeted strangers for terrifying attacks for no reason other than his perceptions of their sexual orientation," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said. Clarke works in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
"We are committed to protecting the rights of all Americans, including those in the LGBTQI+ community," Clarke said.
“Everyone, no matter who they are, should be free from senseless violence,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho in a press release. “I am grateful to the Boise Police Department and the FBI for thoroughly and efficiently investigating this case. And I hope the victims are able to take solace in the fact that the defendant is being held accountable for his hateful and violent acts.”
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