Speers man charged with ethnic intimidation following racist video
The new charges were filed a day after state police cited Michael Todora with harassment in another case in Fallowfield Township.
Ethnic intimidation charges were filed Wednesday against a Speers man accused of recording a video that includes racist language at the Rostraver Township Walmart store, according to state police.
They say the video was recorded by Michael Todora, 36.
State police have been investigating the video, which was posted to Facebook, over the past few weeks.
The video shows a white man approach a Black woman in the grocery section of the store on Dec. 21, and, after confirming her name, ask her questions. The man, filming himself and the woman, uses racist language during the interaction. The woman is seen in the video walking away, requesting security and repeating “get away from me.”
The man then approaches another Black person grocery shopping and asks a question before the recording ends.
Augusta “Queenie” Goll, the woman in the video, told news partner WTAE the incident happened before Christmas, and the recording of it was posted to social media in January. A Liberian native, she who owns Queen’s Market on Fallowfield Avenue.
Goll posted to Facebook on Jan. 15 that Todora allegedly came to apologize to her at the store, and left her a handwritten note.
“I’m sorry for my rude comments toward you,” the note stated. “This has been a nightmare. It’s too much. I’m very sorry.”
Goll additionally told WTAE that while the incident has left her scared, she’s also grateful to the community and strangers for their support.
Todora is charged with ethnic intimidation, harassment and disorderly conduct with obscene language, court records state.
Trooper Rocco Gagliardi said the investigation is continuing.
A preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Wayne Vlasic for the video incident is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. March 6.
In a separate case, state police on Tuesday filed non-traffic summary citations for harassment and defiant trespass or an incident that happened at 1440 Foods in Fallowfield Township. Troopers said in a news release that Todora entered the business property on Dec. 12 and video recorded himself harassing employees and posted it on social media. He believed the employees were Haitian, police said.
Todora has not entered a plea in that case.
