23-year-old Pullman man charged with assault, commission of a hate crime

PULLMAN — Pullman police arrested a 23-year-old man accused of committing a hate crime this weekend.

Mohammed Almathal was charged with alleged fourth-degree assault and commission of a hate crime Saturday afternoon.

Officers were called to the 2900 block of North Grand Avenue following up on a reported assault. Court documents show Almathal reportedly told Whitcom 911, a local dispatching agency, he was punched in the face.

Upon conducting interviews, officers found this may have been an untrue statement. Court documents say Almathal allegedly shoulder checked, pushed and made derogatory verbal comments to an Indian man about his race and religion.

The victim told police that he had acted in self-defense and pushed Almathal away after Almathal allegedly grabbed his chest and neck. Officers noted in court documents the victim had a fresh, red abrasion on the side of his neck.

Police asked the victim if he punched Almathal, which he denied and said he only pushed him. When this happened, Almathal reportedly fell into a door and called 911 and reported he had been punched.

Almathal was arrested and booked into the Whitman County Jail Saturday and was released Monday. He’s scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning in Whitman County Superior Court.