Novato police make arrest in a racial hate incident

On Aug. 2, NPD patrol officers responded to a report of a driver attempting to ram a bicyclist with his truck.

Officers located the victim near his home and interviewed him. The adult victim told officers that a male driver in a pick-up truck approached him on Fourth Street and accused him of stealing his bicycle.

The suspected driver threatened the victim’s life, while using racial epithets as the victim rode away on the bicycle. Several people were interviewed who had witnessed portions of the interaction. The victim provided descriptions of the vehicle, suspected driver, and officers searched the area.

An officer later found the vehicle, however it was unoccupied.

At about 5:30 p.m., the driver came to the Novato Police Department and provided a statement to detectives. He was identified as 58-year-old Brian Collins, who resides in Novato. Collins was booked into the Marin County Jail for assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats and hate crime charges.

The NPD issued this statement: “At the Novato Police Department, we work in partnership with our community to stand up against all forms of hate expression and hate crimes. You can report all hate crimes and incidents directly to an officer by contacting our dispatch center at 415-897-4361. To report hate incidents, visit: novato.org/hateincident. In an emergency, always call 9-1-1. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Novato Police Department and reference case number: NP23-2867.”