In a significant development, a Southern California man has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge after driving through a crowd of "Stop Asian Hate" protesters in 2021. Steve Lee Dominguez, 57, of Diamond Bar, pleaded guilty to one felony count of bias-motivated interference with federally protected activities.

The guilty plea was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, stating that Dominguez's actions were both unlawful and un-American. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada expressed a commitment to safeguard civil rights against those seeking to undermine constitutional rights.

The incident occurred almost two years ago during a rally in Los Angeles, organized to raise awareness about anti-Asian hate following the tragic shootings at three Atlanta-area spas. The shootings claimed the lives of eight people, including six Asian women. The perpetrator, Robert Aaron Long, has since pleaded guilty to four of the killings and was sentenced to life in prison in Cherokee County, Georgia. In Fulton County, he faces multiple charges and a potential death penalty if convicted.

During the rally in Los Angeles, Dominguez drove his black Honda sedan through an intersection where protesters were crossing. He directed derogatory slurs towards the demonstrators, narrowly missing pedestrians as he deliberately drove through a red light at a crosswalk. Dominguez also disrupted the route of several rally participants, including a 9-year-old child and another minor who is Black, both carrying signs advocating against violence towards Asians. Additionally, an Asian woman holding a "Stop Asian Hate" poster was cut off by Dominguez.

Witnesses reported that Dominguez even got out of his car, continuing to shout racial slurs, including the use of the N-word towards the protesters. He later called the police, falsely identifying himself as "John Doe," and claimed that rallygoers had been blocking the street, forcing him to run the red light due to the perceived threat.

Donald Alway, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, expressed the agency's commitment to addressing such violations. Alway stated that they would work with their partners to combat such senseless attacks on individuals who were advocating for an end to violence.

The guilty plea from Steve Lee Dominguez highlights the severity of the incident and reinforces the ongoing efforts to combat hate and protect the civil rights of all individuals.