IT IS DANGEROUS TO DISPLAY YOUR SUPPORT FOR TRUMP

'Y'all scared, just like your president’: Teen Trump supporters run off road, police say

By Lauren Cross

The Northwest Indiana Times
February 21, 2020

HOBART, Indiana -- Felony charges have been filed against a Hobart couple accused of running twin boys off the road because they had pro-Trump flags attached to their bicycles, authorities said.

Snapchat videos helped officers secure charges against Kyren Gregory Perry-Jones, 23, and Cailyn Marie Smith, 18, in connection with a July 22 incident, police said.

"Y'all scared, just like your president ... America is not great, (expletive)," Smith could allegedly be heard saying on a Snapchat video obtained by police during the incident.

At one point, Perry-Jones asked one of the boys if he was a Trump fan, and he said he was, records state.

Perry-Jones and Smith have each been charged with two counts of intimidation and criminal recklessness, all felonies. They were also charged with one count each of theft and criminal mischief, which are misdemeanors, court records show.

Hobart Police Capt. James Gonzales said Smith and Perry-Jones are accused of driving in their car, running the teen boys off of the road, and making threats toward them.

The detective just received charges on this Thursday, Gonzales said. The delay was because of information police were waiting on from Snapchat, he added.

The two boys told Hobart detectives they were riding their bikes near 8th and Fleming when a blue Chevrolet Malibu began following them, court records state.

Snapchat video obtained by police shows the Malibu, driven by Perry-Jones, swerve the wheels sharply "as if he saw the boys and wanted to hit them with the vehicle" while yelling, "'Y'all better get home,'" court records state.

Perry-Jones and Smith allegedly yelled expletives at the two teen boys and demanded that they "pull that flag down" in the video, police said.

Perry-Jones allegedly threatened to beat the boys up for calling 911, court records state.

In the video, Perry-Jones also said that if police questioned him about it, he would just say the boys called him a racial slur.

During the encounter, Perry-Jones allegedly drove his car through several yards, chasing them.

One of the boys told detectives Smith snatched their flag while filming the video, so they chased after the car. Only after the boys threatened to call police did the couple drop the flag and intentionally run it over with their vehicle before fleeing the area, records state.

The flag sustained a few rips and tears, the boys said.

On Aug. 6, detectives received a search warrant for the Snapchat videos, and it wasn't until Nov. 7 that they received the video content from Snapchat.

"This is an unfortunate event that involved two brothers expressing their support for President Trump," Capt. James Gonzales said. "Our residents in Hobart should be able to express their support for any political affiliation without fear of any adverse recourse. The Hobart Police Department will continue to serve the Hobart residents to ensure they are free to express their support for whomever they choose and we will tirelessly work to preserve their 1st Amendment Rights under the United States Constitution."