A Lake Harmony man was sentenced to a probation period on four counts of ethnic intimidation.

Carbon County Judge Joseph J. Matika sentenced Phillip A. Burchman, 51, formerly of White Haven, to one year probation on each of the four counts with the terms all running concurrently. He previously pleaded guilty to the charges.

Just before 11 a.m. on April 27, 2019, Kidder Township police officers were dispatched to the area of Jack Frost Mountain Road and Route 940 when victims reported they were being tailgated by a white Honda.

A woman told police the Honda approached her vehicle from the rear with “tremendous speed,” stopping short of colliding with her vehicle. The driver of the Honda, later identified as Burchman, attempted to overtake her vehicle on a double solid line multiple times and, according to the victim, made several attempts to run her off the road by cutting her off.

The victim pulled over in an attempt to let the vehicle pass her, however, the car pulled up next to her and Burchman started to yell racial slurs toward her. He then threw a coffee on her windshield and she was unable to see.

Burchman parked the Honda further up the road and waited for the woman to approach, police said, before pulling out directly in front of her vehicle, almost causing a head-on collision. Once again, Burchman allegedly yelled racial slurs toward the woman.

The responding officer stopped the suspect’s vehicle on Jack Frost Mountain Road.

Defense Attorney Paul J. Levy said Burchman apologized to the victims after the preliminary hearing and again after he entered his guilty plea.

Burchman told the court, “I apologize for what I’ve done. It was a horrible thing I’ve done.”

Matika noted that the victims, four women, all made statements that were contained in a presentence investigation report prepared by the adult probation office.

Matika said the victims accepted his apology, adding, “I believe you are sincere.”

Burchman was also ordered to render 50 hours of community service, have no contact with any of the victims, get a mental health evaluation, pay court costs and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation.