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Mount Laurel is located in South Jersey, about 20 miles from Philadelphia.
According to an affidavit, Mathews was captured on July 2 on a neighbor’s doorbell camera “thrusting his hips in a lewd motion while laughing,” while looking at the camera. He is also “heard saying ‘f***ng monkey.'” The neighbor is a Black woman who is on the homeowners association board (HOA) and told police Mathews called her racial slurs over the past few months, the affidavit said. The affidavit states Mathew’s actions were an attempt to intimidate her into moving out of the neighborhood.
The same day, according to a second affidavit, Mathews allegedly hurled racial slurs during a verbal altercation with neighbors at a different residence. The affidavit says Mathews could be heard telling the neighbors that “he ran other residents (African American and HOA board members) out of the community,” and that one of the residents, whose husband is African American and the HOA board president, reported Mathews tried to enter her home.
According to the affidavit, the neighbors at the second residence told police Mathews called them racial slurs and appeared “to kiss, lick, or spit at (one of the neighbors) in an attempt to escalate the altercation,” before “chest bumping” him.
Video posted on social media shows the tail end of the confrontation.
“There is nothing I’m going to be able to say that’s going to justify me using the words that I used. Whatever I need to do to make it up to the community and the world at this point seeing how big it is understand that I made a mistake,” Mathews told WPVI. “Allow me the ability to move forward just like we all deserve.”
CNN is trying to reach Mathews for further comment. It’s unclear if he has an attorney.
On Monday, police arrested Mathews at his home where dozens of people were gathered.
Burlington County Prosecutor Scott A. Coffina said in a statement, “It is difficult to overstate how vile and despicable the conduct by this defendant towards his neighbors was on Friday night. No one should ever have to deal with such hatred thrown in their face anywhere, but especially on their own doorstep.”
The BCPO will also be reviewing evidence of other criminal acts that took place during the protest outside Mathews’ home, Coffina said.
Officer Kyle Gardner, the Mount Laurel Police Public Information Officer, told CNN the department had received complaints about Mathews before. “We’ve dealt with him a handful of times,” Gardner said.
“We can assure our residents that incidents like this are thoroughly investigated and that those who commit such offenses will be held accountable for their actions,” the MLPD said in its Facebook post.
Mathews is currently in custody at the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly, NJ. A new court date will be set, likely Friday, according to Joel Bewley, Public Information Officer for the BCPO.
CNN’s Tanika Gray, Christina Zdanowicz and Alisha Ebrahimji contributed to this report