A Boise man who is accused of yelling homophobic slurs and trying to hit people with his car has been indicted for a federal hate crime.

The indictment alleges that on Oct. 12, 2022, Matthew Alan Lehigh, 31, attempted to cause bodily injury to two people in Boise by driving his car at them, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This assault, the indictment alleges, was motivated by the actual and perceived sexual orientation of the victims.

In addition to the federal charge, Lehigh faces state charges of felony aggravated assault (three counts), felony arson, and misdemeanor malicious injury to property.

If convicted of the federal charge, Lehigh faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, the release said.

Lehigh could not be charged with a hate crime under Idaho state law because Idaho and 18 other states do not have hate crime protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity, KTVB reported.

According to the Boise Police Department and as previously reported by KTVB, Lehigh hit a person in the arm and used a homophobic slur on South Capitol Boulevard near Julia Davis Park on Oct. 8.

When a security guard followed Lehigh into a parking lot, he drove his car toward the guard before driving away, BPD said. Then on Oct. 12, Lehigh yelled a homophobic threat and slur at two women on Americana Boulevard between Kathryn Albertson and Ann Morrison parks, BPD said.

Lehigh also intentionally drove his vehicle toward the women as they were standing next to it, before hitting another vehicle and driving away, BPD said in a news release. Boise Police said the women were not hurt.

Lehigh’s arson charge stems from an incident in Boise’s North End where an LGBTQ flag was burned.