Another Staged Racist Attack

Authorities say a Richmond man lied to them during an Indiana State Police investigation into a truck fire and racist message spray painted on his home, according to court documents filed this week.

The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday filed charges against the husband of a plastic surgeon regarding a February incident at their Richmond home.

Jonathan Powell was charged with two counts of false informing (both Class B misdemeanors). A warrant for Powell’s arrest was issued Friday.

Richmond Police and the Richmond Fire Department responded to the home of Powell and Dr. Myla Bennett shortly after 5 a.m. on Feb. 24. When they arrived at the home, they found a pickup fully engulfed in flames in the home’s driveway and racist graffiti on the home’s garage doors.

The graffiti said, “Move n----r Dr.” on the larger garage door and on a smaller garage door. They attributed the message to a hate group.

Mike Davis, RFD’s chief of fire prevention, was able to find the origin of the fire but ruled the cause as undetermined.

On March 24, ISP received an anonymous tip that Powell had approached Jim Delucio about burning the truck, according to the affidavit.

Delucio admitted to police Powell had asked him to torch the truck, but Delucio told police he declined the request, according to the affidavit. Delucio told police that when he asked Powell why he wanted him to torch the truck, Powell responded that "he wanted a different truck."

Charges have not been filed against Delucio.

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