Local

No charges for man accused of running Muslim woman off road

POINCIANA, Fla. — Channel 9 has learned the State Attorney's Office has dropped the charges against a man accused of running a Kissimmee mother off the road.

In October, Rose Garcia said she was with her two kids when Charles Lundquist Jr. started following her and mocking her for wearing her Muslim head scarf.

But investigators told Channel 9's Tim Barber they didn’t have enough to arrest Lundquist for a hate crime.

"He became really, really angry," she said.

Lundquist, however, is not facing charges despite allegedly admitting that he followed Garcia, flipped her off and was driving erratically.

The charging affidavit said Lundquist told investigators that he didn't know there were kids in the car. He said he didn't mock Garcia's religion and claimed he only followed her because she cut him off.

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said it appears Osceola County did a thorough job investigating a vague case, where deputies determined both suspects may have escalated the incident.

"The State Attorney's Office could not have successfully prosecuted these charges against this defendant," said Sheaffer. "They had no choice but to dismiss the case."

Garcia said she is disappointed by the decision.