Bond has been set for a Galesburg man charged with a hate crime for allegedly causing damage and defacing a church at Oak Run.
26-year-old Kelly S. Hawkinson made a video court appearance in Knox County Circuit Court with Judge Raymond A. Cavanaugh on Monday where bond was set at $10,000 with only 10-percent needed to get out of jail. As part of his bail, he was to undergo a mental health evaluation.
Hawkinson is charged with Class 3 Felonies of committing a hate crime to a church or synagogue, criminal damage to property under $10,000, and criminal defacement of property over $500. He also faces a Class 4 Felony of criminal damage to government property under $500.
According to reports, Hawkinson was arrested on Friday, April 27th, after a Silver Jeep Grand Cherokee registered to him was found abandoned along North Shore Place in Oak Run.
Knox County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the abandoned vehicle at around 7:00 a.m. They located a striped dish towel and yellow rubber gloves in the ditch near the vehicle, as well as a red gas about 30 feet from the vehicle baring “KH” written on it in several locations.
Upon closer inspection deputies allegedly noticed orange paint both inside and outside of the vehicle. It had been reported on Wednesday, April 25th, of graffiti damage done to road signs and a swastika spray painted on Oak Community Church just north of Oak Run.
Deputies allegedly also located some orange paint on all four doors of the Jeep, as well as the steering wheel, near the drivers seat belt latch, and on the passengers side dash console and door card.
Hawkinson arrived a short time later. Further investigation led to his arrest. Hawkinson will be back in court on May 30th with his attorney Steve Glasgow.
