Former El Toro Marine Gets Four-Year Term for Hate Crime

A former El Toro Marine was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to committing a hate crime for making racial slurs and driving two young black males off the road, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Kevin Carl Miller, 24, pleaded guilty Monday to assault and other felony charges and admitted that he committed the crimes because of the victims’ race.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Luis A. Cardenas sentenced Miller following his guilty plea, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Prosecutors said that Miller, who is white, was arrested after a June 18 incident in Huntington Beach, in which he terrorized two young black men.

Miller first drove alongside a car in which the victims were traveling and made racial slurs. A chase ensued, and Miller hurled beer bottles, breaking two of the victims’ car windows, and then swerved into their vehicle, forcing them onto a curb.

When the victims fled on foot, Miller allegedly made additional slurs and struck one of the victims in the back with a beer bottle, according to the release.

Miller has no prior criminal record and was drinking heavily the night of the incident, prosecutors said.

Miller is from Texas but was stationed at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, prosecutors said.