The Alameda County district attorney’s office charged a white lady with a hate crime last Wednesday after she accosted a Black Amazon driver in April and called 911 on him, claiming that he was “trying to escape” as she attempted to stop him from driving away.
On April 18, Julie Warland, 35, grew enraged by the way Kendall McIntosh, a Black 25-year-old Amazon driver, drove while delivering products in North Berkley. Warland and her partner pursued the motorist, ostensibly to “confront” him.
According to authorities, Walrand stopped his van alongside McIntosh’s on the street to prevent him from driving away. Police said that McIntosh attempted to drive away to deescalate the situation but was stopped by Walrand who grabbed his steering wheel and hands.
Walrand immediately dialed 911 and informed the operator that McIntosh was “trying to escape.” She screamed profanities at him as well. When McIntosh exited his truck, Walrand hurled a racial slur at him and proceeded to yell. McIntosh re-entered the vehicle and was able to flee.
When officers arrived, they reported seeing an Amazon driver rushing through a neighborhood.
McIntosh later told KRON4 that he felt “scared and unsafe” after the encounter.
“Instantly just started cursing me out like, the first sentence I’m getting cursed at,” said McIntosh. “Very derogatory language, you know I was getting constant F-bombs thrown at me. I was getting just racially profiled from the jump.”
He stated that he had pulled over and was about to finish his shift before heading to assist another driver when Walrand’s boyfriend approached his vehicle and grabbed his steering wheel.
“His girlfriend also jumped inside my van as I was trying to back up and grabbing onto the steering wheel. She did that two times in a row,” McIntosh said.
He told KTVU the woman told him, “Who the f–k do you think you are?” and “Who do you think you are driving down my street like this?”
When he witnessed neighbors stopping to record what was going on, he claimed he felt comforted.
“What constantly was running through my mind was you know it could be me in handcuffs instead of her so no matter what the situation is, just protect yourself. If you feel like you have to videotape it or anything, definitely do that because I felt like if there wasn’t a video. It wasn’t being recorded, she probably could’ve gotten away with saying this,” said McIntosh.
Walrand has been charged with two counts of violence and disturbing the peace, as well as a hate crime, which is a civil rights violation. The charges are all misdemeanors.
