TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Hart Park has become the scene of a worrisome spike in hate crimes in recent weeks.

But two Oildale men have already been sentenced to state prison as a result.

Lt. Robert Boardman, the highest ranking Kern County park ranger, said there have been three racially motivated incidents at Hart Park within the past few weeks, and two of them have resulted in felony arrests for alleged hate crime violations.

"We won't put up with this," Boardman said. "This is a family park and we want to keep it safe for families."

The first incident happened May 30 when a racially motivated assault near the Kern River left four people injured, including one victim who required 50 stitches after he was hit over the head with a beer bottle.

Kern County prosecuting attorney Michael Vendrasco said members of a criminal street gang known as the Oildale Peckerwoods had been yelling at Hispanics in the park, using racial epithets and shouting white supremacy-style slogans.

Then the group of four men approached a mixed group of Hispanics and whites on the north side of the river.

"Out of nowhere, one of the men slugged one of the Hispanics," Vendrasco said. Then another one of the Peckerwoods used a beer bottle to strike a member of the mixed group.

"It's very unusual to get anyone to plead to a hate crime offense," Vendrasco said. But two of the four did just that.

Jonathan Charles Harrelson, 23, who has past criminal convictions for assault, obstruction and drug offenses, pleaded no contest to violation of civil rights, causing violent injury.

Charges of assault with a deadly weapon and gang participation were dismissed as a condition of his plea. He was sentenced to two years in state prison.

Jacob Daniel Thomas, 24, who was originally identified by authorities as John Thomas, received 16 months in a similar deal.

Co-defendant Ronald Burt, 47, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault and was released with time served, while all charges were dismissed against 42-year-old Nicky Joe McKenzie.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it.

Two more men with alleged connections to Oildale's white pride gang were arrested last weekend at Hart Park on hate crime-related charges, Boardman said. Their names were not available Thursday.

"It was the same thing," Boardman said, "starting with name calling and racial taunting."

Then escalating to physical assaults.

"Apparently, they've picked that park as part of their territory," Vendrasco said of the white gang members. "They're not shy about yelling that stuff."

According to a sheriff's department spokesman, eight hate crimes have been investigated by the Kern County Sheriff's Department so far this year, ranging from vandalism to crimes against people.