CENTRALIA — A 27-year-old Kell man is in the Marion County Jail, after being arrested Saturday on charges including a hate crime and child endangerment.

Centralia police arrested Timothy Morton after a reported altercation with two teens in the 600 block of East Broadway.

Morton reportedly used racial slurs when asking the two teens about his wife’s whereabouts.

The teens reportedly became upset at the slurs and Morton is alleged to have then climbed into the back of his pickup truck and grabbed a board.

One of the teens reportedly received a minor injury to his hand as he wrestled the board away from Morton, telling police they believed Morton would go after them with the board.

It was then that police arrived on the scene and broke up the altercation. They reported finding Morton’s young child in the pickup truck, along with a nearly full, open beer.

Morton was arrested for an alleged hate crime, child endangerment, driving under the influence and aggravated battery.

He remains in the Marion County Jail, awaiting the formal filing of charges and setting of bail.

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