Ventura man charged with hate crime, accused of stabbing Black man and yelling racial slurs

VENTURA, Calif. - A Ventura man accused of stabbing a Black man after yelling racial slurs at him has been charged with a hate crime.

Tyler James Clark, 33, appeared in Ventura County Superior Court Monday to face his charges.

Clark has been charged with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon committed with a hate crime allegation, and one misdemeanor count of resisting, obstructing, or delaying a peace officer.

He's accused of yelling racial slurs at a Black man inside a Ventura convenience store on Wednesday, May 5. When the victim left the store, Clark allegedly followed and stabbed the man in the torso. He then fled the scene before being taken into custody by Ventura police.

Clark pleaded not guilty to all charges and is due back in court on May 18. He remains in custody with bail set at $145,000.