Centre County Man Accused of Threatening Teen with Gun Faces Ethnic Intimidation Charge

A Centre County man is facing charges including ethnic intimidation after he allegedly threatened a juvenile with a gun while yelling racist remarks.

Matthew S. Dunlap, 32, of Pennsylvania Furnace, is accused of telling the teenager “I’m going to blow your brains out, Arab boy. Go back to your country,” while both were stopped at a traffic light in Boalsburg on Nov. 10, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed Wednesday by State College police.

The teen reported that at about 8:35 p.m. that night the driver of a pickup truck in front of him on Boal Avenue was “going slowly, break checking and swerving,” police wrote. When the teen passed him in a passing zone, the driver, later identified as Dunlap, allegedly swerved toward him. Once the teen was in front of him, Dunlap repeatedly flashed his high beams and tailgated him, according to the affidavit.

When both stopped for a traffic light at the Boalsburg Pike intersection, Dunlap yelled “I’m gonna beat your ass little boy,” the teen told police.

They again stopped at the Warner Boulevard intersection traffic light, where Dunlap allegedly yelled, “Do you want me to blow your brains out?” followed by the racist remarks while pointing the gun at the teen.

The teen said he was “very scared and concerned for his life, as well as his passengers lives,” according to the affidavit. The passengers also told police they saw Dunlap point a gun at him.

Police identified Dunlap by his vehicle registration and a description provided by the teen, who later picked him out of a photo lineup, according to the affidavit.

Dunlap was charged by summons on Wednesday with misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats, simple assault and ethnic intimidation, as well as a summary offense of disorderly conduct.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 20.

Court records did not list a defense attorney for Dunlap.