ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. — A 55-year-old man has been charged with multiple counts of felonious assault and hate crimes after Macomb County Prosecutors say he allegedly hurled homophobic slurs before driving his car toward volunteers passing out literature last month for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Jason Lafond of St. Clair Shores was arraigned late Thursday afternoon in 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores, and was released on personal bond after pleading not guilty to three counts of felonious assault, and three counts of ethnic intimidation, Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido said Friday.

The latter violates Michigan's hate crime law, which includes sexual orientation.

District Judge Mark Fratarcangeli ordered Lafond to wear a GPS tether and to refrain from contacting the alleged victims, Lucido said.

"There were three people passing out campaign material, which is why there are three counts each," Lucido said of the Oct. 12 incident.

Felonious assault is punishable in Michigan by up to four years in prison, while the hate crime charge carries a two-year prison term.

Lafond's attorney Joseph Arnone said he's still awaiting discovery in the case.

"We'll proceed with the presumption of innocence," he said. "I'll be interested to see what the investigation found."

According to Lucido and witnesses who spoke with The Detroit News, Lafond allegedly drove to the lot outside the VFW Bruce Post on Jefferson Avenue near Martin, where a tent touting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump had previously been pitched.

When the volunteers told Lafond they were with the Harris-Walz campaign, he allegedly became enraged and hurled anti-gay slurs at them. Lafond allegedly got into his car, revved the engine and drove it toward three of the victims before stopping feet away, Lucido said.

"The car was the weapon he used, which is why it's a (charge of) felonious assault," the prosecutor said.

Melissa Crook, a St. Clair Shores resident who told The News she was standing in the path of Lafond's vehicle when he drove it toward them, said she was happy that charges were filed against the defendant.

"I’m grateful the process is working the way it’s intended to, and nobody is playing politics with this," she said.

Lucido said his office doesn't have deputized investigators and he made his charging decision based on a report provided by St. Clair Shores police, who did not return a phone call Friday.

"We have a few former police officers who investigate, but we don't have deputized investigators like (Wayne County Prosecutor) Kym Worthy has, so I can't conduct my own investigation, and we have to rely on what's in the police report," Lucido said. "Their report was based on statements made by the witnesses, and statements made by the suspect after he talked to police."

Crook said she and her fellow volunteers didn't record Lafond's alleged crimes with their cellphones and the VFW hall didn't have a video camera trained on the area.

An employee at Kaul Funeral Home across the street from where the incident allegedly took place told The News there are no surveillance cameras at the facility.

Lucido said St. Clair Shores had been given a description of Lafond's Mercedes, after the volunteers called 911 to report the alleged incident. When city officers stopped Lafond for a traffic violation the next day, they asked about his involvement in the alleged hate crime and assault.

When asked if Lafond confessed, Lucido said, "I can't go into that now. My decision to file charges is based on the St. Clair Shores Police report that included statements made by the witnesses and the defendant. Other than that, I'll just say we'll present the case we have when the time comes."

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