No charges for man who yelled slurs at youth soccer team

COEUR d’ALENE — City prosecutors declined to pursue charges against a man who admitted to hurling racist slurs at youth soccer players during a May 12 tournament, according to public records obtained by The Press.

The Nelson Star reported that a witness told police that a beige truck slowed down when passing the soccer field at Coeur d’Alene High School and a passenger yelled “kill Blacks” twice, followed by an unclear insult that ended in the N-word. 

Youth players from Nelson, Canada, were warming up on the field at the time, according to a police report. 

“Neither soccer teams were wearing black jerseys,” the witness said. “This was clearly targeted at our players of color.” 

Police canvassed the neighborhood for surveillance cameras but did not find any that had captured the event. They later identified a vehicle matching the description provided by witnesses, owned by Gavin W. Ruddell. 

When contacted by police, Ruddell confirmed he was the driver and identified Cade H. Villanueva as the passenger. 

Ruddell initially indicated that he figured police were contacting him “for an incident that occurred downtown,” referring to the March 21 incident when a Post Falls man yelled racist slurs at members of the University of Utah women’s basketball team. 

Ruddell told police he and Villanueva were driving past the soccer field when Villanueva yelled the slurs. 

“He said he did not know exactly what was said but that Villanueva often does it and it isn’t the first time,” an officer wrote in the police report. 

Villanueva later admitted to police that he yelled “f— N-words” at the youth soccer players, using the full expletive and slur, and said, “he was just exercising his freedom of speech.” 

“He told me this is something that he and his buddy do,” an officer wrote in the police report, noting that Villanueva added that Ruddell “no longer wants this behavior in his vehicle.” 

Villanueva denied shouting “kill Blacks” or anything similar. 

After the investigation was complete, Coeur d’Alene police referred the matter to city prosecutors as a possible case of malicious harassment. Prosecutors declined to pursue charges Aug. 13, according to the police report. 

In Idaho, it is unlawful to threaten, intimidate or harass another person because of that person’s race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin. Incidents must involve injury, property damage or a reasonable threat of either one in order to qualify as malicious harassment. The crime of malicious harassment does not prohibit the use of racist slurs, but rather threats that are racially motivated.

The Coeur d’Alene City Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately return a request for comment Monday. 

The Nelson Star reported that the Nelson Soccer Association is waiting for guidance from its governing body before deciding whether its teams will continue to compete in Idaho. 

At least three incidents of racist harassment in Coeur d’Alene have been reported to police this year. In addition to the March 21 and May 12 incidents, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe reported in late May that a group of men harassed Tribal School students who were on a field trip at McEuen Park. 

The Coeur d’Alene City Council unanimously passed a new ordinance in July aimed at combating hate crimes. 

Under the ordinance, a person who commits a crime, such as malicious injury to property, that is motivated by a protected class, such as race, religion or disability, may face a separate misdemeanor charge and possible enhanced penalties.