Peters police charge man with ethnic intimidation
Peters Township police charged a township resident with ethnic intimidation this week after he allegedly got on a school district bus and yelled racial slurs at the driver while students were on the vehicle.
Mark Peters Ferrari, 60, of 2832 Locust Drive, also is charged with unauthorized entry onto a school bus, harassment and disorderly conduct in connection with the Oct. 8 incident in the 3100 block of Manor Way.
Ferrari went to the police station to file a complaint against the bus driver, who he claimed was driving at a high speed in the middle of Locust. Ferrari told police he had to drive into a yard to avoid a collision with the bus.
Ferrari also said he turned around and blocked the bus from driving away on Manor. He said he then got out of his vehicle, got on the bus and asked the driver his name and identification number. Ferrari told police there were no students on the bus.
About an hour later, the bus driver came to the station to report a man got on the school bus as he was transporting McMurray Elementary School students. The driver said he had activated the red signals and stop sign when he stopped the bus.
The other man, later identified as Ferrari, blocked the travel lane and got out of his vehicle. Three students reportedly were getting off the bus when Ferrari got on it. The bus driver said he stood up from his seat as Ferrari walked up the steps of the bus and started yelling. Ferrari allegedly called the bus driver derogatory names. The bus driver asked him to get off the bus. He told police there were about 15 students still on the bus, and they appeared to be fearful. The bus driver used his cellphone to photograph the other driver and vehicle.
Police watched the surveillance video from the bus. The bus stopped and Ferrari can be heard arguing with the driver. Police said Ferrari can be heard yelling obscenities and making derogatory remarks about the driver’s ethnicity. Several of the children appeared to be frightened, hiding behind seats, police said.
The bus is equipped with signs indicating authorization is needed to enter the bus. The driver reportedly told Ferrari six times to leave the bus.
The charges were sent by summons from the office of District Judge Jesse Pettit. Ferrari is scheduled for a Nov. 20 preliminary hearing before Pettit.