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Homeless Woman Arrested in Hate Crime Attack on Black Special-Needs Worker

A 45-year-old homeless woman has been arrested for allegedly threatening a special-needs aide in a McDonald's parking lot because the aide was black, then following the woman in her car and attacking her at a traffic light, authorities say. 

Nassau County police say the 28-year-old victim drove her special-needs group to the fast-food restaurant on Jericho Turnpike in New Hyde Park Tuesday afternoon. After she parked, cops allege Jennifer Velez walked up to her and began calling her racial slurs and threatening her over her race.  

The victim got back in her car and started to drive west on Jericho Turnpike. Velez apparently had a vehicle as well, because police say she followed the victim to a nearby traffic light, got out of her own car and hit the victim in the cheek. 

The suspect fled, but detectives were able to track her down and she was arrested Thursday at the Airway Inn on Astoria Boulevard in East Elmhurst.

Velez is charged with assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment. She is expected to be arraigned Friday. It wasn't clear if she had retained an attorney.

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