COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — The Rogers Park man filmed calling people "vermin" and "slave" outside a Downtown Starbucks in June now is facing upgraded hate crime charges, court records show.
William Boucher, 23, is wanted on a warrant after missing August court appearances, the Cook County Sheriff's Office confirmed. If arrested he could be held without bail.
Boucher initially was charged with misdemeanor battery after a June 6 racist tirade near State and Lake streets. He is accused of hitting, spitting on and verbally attacking two people after someone spilled coffee on him about 2:30 p.m.
Prosecutors have upgraded charges to felony hate crime and felony aggravated battery in a public place.
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An ABC7 photojournalist captured video of the attack on June 6. A man identified by authorities as Boucher calls people "disposable vermin" and "slave" before throwing punches.
“Shut up slave! Do not talk to me!” he said to an African-American man in the video. Boucher also dubbed the man who spilled coffee on him at the Starbucks at 40 W. Lake St. "livestock."
“Get on all fours! Do not walk on those two legs! You don’t deserve to walk on two legs, vermin," Boucher said in the video, according to authorities.
Boucher, of the 7600 block of North Sheridan Road, was arrested about 3 p.m. June 6 after several witnesses held him until police arrived, court records show. Boucher is accused of spitting on an officer during the arrest.
Boucher declined to comment after the incident.
During a July court hearing, Boucher told a Cook County judge he makes about $1,200 a month trading stocks online and running two marketing firms. Boucher asked for a public defender.
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Public posts on Boucher's Facebook page contain several references to his belief in God and his hopes of becoming a successful businessman. Several photos show him posing with diverse groups of people at events for entrepreneurs.
In one post, Boucher comes to the defense of a Muslim woman wearing a hijab who was kicked out of a Donald Trump rally in January 2016.
