Jan 26, 2018 2 min read

A North Strabane Township teenager is facing harassment charges after he allegedly sent a racially charged text message to another teenager earlier this month.

Zechariah Jon Miles, 18, of 100 Springhouse Lane, is facing two counts of harassment filed against him Thursday by Canonsburg police at the office of District Judge David Mark.

Borough police were called in the early morning hours of Jan. 14 to the home of the 15-year-old boy who reportedly received the text messages. The alleged victim is black.

His mother told police her son was being harassed by several students, including one who was sending text messages to her son’s girlfriend. When her son sent a text back, telling the other boy to stop and leave her alone, she said the exchanges escalated to include threats, including one text asking her son if he wanted to be “lynched.”

Initially, the parents did not want to file charges but wanted police to talk with those involved.

Borough police notified the school resource officer at Canon-McMillan High School.

However, the teen’s father called police a few days later and indicated his son had decided he wanted to press charges. Police were provided with a screen shot of the texts. They said they learned Miles reportedly used another teen’s cellphone to send the messages.

Miles reportedly told police he thought lynching meant to fight someone and he was only messing around.

Police conferred with an assistant Washington County district attorney, who advised it did not rise to the level of ethnic intimidation. Chief Al Coghill said no other teens would be charged in the incident.

The charges were sent by summons from Mark’s office. Miles faces a Feb. 27 preliminary hearing before Mark.