Orange Mayor Receives Death Threat, Police Arrest One

Authorities have arrested an Orange city employee after he allegedly made a racially-charged death threat against Mayor Elridge Hawkins Jr., officials said Wednesday. Hawkins was a member of the West Orange Police Department until last year.

William Hathaway, 41, an employee of the Orange Public Works Department, was charged with two counts of terroristic threats, police director John Rappaport said during an afternoon press conference.

Rappaport called Hathaway a "disgruntled employee" and said he also made threats against another city employee who was not identified.

Officials said some of the threats were captured on audio tape and posted on YouTube, but added they did not know how the recording landed on the internet.

Hathaway can be heard threatening Hawkins saying: "I will kill him and shoot him in the head in front of his mother," according to Rappaport. He said the threat is charged with racial epithets.

Hathaway also threatened a fellow employee saying: "I am going to have you killed," Rappaport said.

Police began investigating the incident after the public works department received a complaint last week of workplace harassment that alleged racial slurs, voter intimidation and death threats made by other employees including a high-ranking union member, Rappaport said.

The investigation revealed "credible death threats" against Hawkins and a city worker, he added.

Hathaway has been suspended from his position without pay pending a hearing.

[Editor's note: This story was updated Feb. 29 at 11 p.m.]