2 Men Accused Of Hate Crime In Black Lives Matter Mural Vandalism

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Two local men pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony vandalism charges following the marring this weekend of the Black Lives Matter mural in downtown Santa Cruz.

Brandon Bochat, 20, of Santa Cruz, and Hagan Warner, 19, of Boulder Creek, were arrested Saturday and charged Tuesday. Both men also denied Wednesday in Santa Cruz County Superior Court a hate crime enhancement. Enhancements can be tacked onto charges to increase a possible punishment.

Judge Syda Kosofsky Cogliata agreed to increase their bail to $15,000, though the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office sought to raise it to $35,000, according to the DA's office.

Bochat and Warner are slated to appear back in court Sept. 17 and will face a preliminary hearing Sept. 20.

Investigators said Bochat and Warner took turns driving. At least two other people may have been involved, but they have not yet been arrested, Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills said Sunday.

The privately funded mural in the 800 block of Center Street was approved last year by the Santa Cruz City Council after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.

Sunday's meeting was called to inform the community about the vandalism and the ongoing investigation, Mayor Donna Meyers said. "The targeted vandalism of the Black Lives Matter mural is heartbreaking and violating," Meyers said, adding that the mural would be repaired as soon as possible.

Friday's vandalism left skid marks the length of the mural that not only damaged the paint but left grooves in the pavement below. Detectives were able to obtain video of the vandalism, showing a vehicle intentionally "burning out" to leaving tire tread marks across the mural, police said.

Answering several community members' questions about why the incident hasn't yet been considered a hate crime, Mills said his department was scouring social media and other evidence to add that charge.

Some community members told the chief and city leaders that the vandalism wasn't an isolated event and showed a need to fight against racism and white supremacy.

The case remains under investigation by police and the DA's office.

— Bay City News contributed to this report