2 Oakhurst high school students arrested for committing hate crime, deputies say

OAKHURST, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two Oakhurst high school students are in juvenile hall after deputies said they committed a hate crime that targeted a local JV soccer coach.

After a long weekend getaway Victor Salazar came home Sunday afternoon hoping to catch some sleep. He never got that chance.

"I've been living here 10 years-- I play soccer here, never thought about this happening," said Salazar.

The Yosemite High School soccer coach said his cars were egged, his yard teepeed. He thought it was a prank but then the vandals struck again later that night. "I never thought about it like someone would hate me and target me."

The Madera County Sheriff's Office said it's investigating the incident as a hate crime. Among paint, mustard, and feces were strewn over the car-- racial and homosexual slurs were also written. The one on the left side of the door, Salazar said, was the most hurtful of all.

"They wrote 'go back to Mexico,' it's just taking it too far. It's way beyond a prank."

More perplexing than the crime are the two people allegedly behind it. Salazar said one of the suspects called him Tuesday. A high school student confessing to the crime.

"When she told me about it I was like, 'how?' I never met her in my life, I don't know who it is."

Deputies made two arrests Tuesday night-- both of them are teenagers.

Salazar said he coaches soccer at the same school the two girls attend but doesn't know who they are.

"She said, 'I'm sorry' and I said, 'a simple sorry is not going to do it.'"

For now he is just searching for answers. Wanting to know why he felt so much hate from two strangers.