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SOUTH SALT LAKE — A man was arrested after police say he yelled racial slurs and spit on a woman and her son who were wearing "Muslim clothing."
Robert Lowell Wolcott, 61, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Friday for investigation of two counts of assault, trespassing, intoxication and disorderly conduct.
Officers from the Utah Transit Authority were called to the TRAX station at 210 W. 3300 South on a report of a heavily intoxicated man using profanity toward bystanders.
A woman told police that she was with her 7-year-old son when "Robert came up to her and her son and spit on them both while hollering profanities and racial slurs at them such as, 'Go back to your … country,'" according to a police booking affidavit. "This was because the victim was wearing Muslim clothing."
The woman posted about the incident Wednesday night on a social media platform.
"He spit on us. Told us to go back to our country and called us every name in the book. All because we are Muslims. I am an American citizen. I am a law abiding citizen. I am a tax payer. I am active in my community. My son is 7. Completely innocent and is autistic. What a disgusting man. What a shame people are so ignorant about Islam. What a shame it's dangerous to be a Muslim in today's world," she said in the post.
The woman also called Utah an "Islamophobic state" and said she is starting to feel unsafe living here.
Prior to that confrontation, police say Wolcott tripped and fell onto the railroad tracks even though the crossing arms were down and the red lights were flashing.
Court records show Wolcott has an extensive criminal history that mostly includes charges of disorderly conduct, intoxication, trespassing and shoplifting in Utah.
While Wolcott was still in jail Thursday, no formal charges have been filed against him. It was unclear whether the incident could potentially be charged as a hate crime.
