York County Couple Charged in Hanover Racial Assault: 'This is MAGA Town'

YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Richard Mitchell Jr., 62, of Hanover, and Sara Tresnak, 51, of York, are at the center of a York County investigation after allegedly attacking a woman at the Hanover Eagles fraternal club on 105 Park Street in Penn Township. The incident unfolded around 10:15 p.m. on Jan. 10, when the couple reportedly questioned the victim's ethnicity, called her racial slurs and proclaimed, 'This is MAGA town,' before the physical altercation erupted, according to police reports.[1][2] Both Mitchell and Tresnak admitted involvement in the fight but insisted the victim struck first. York County investigators charged each with one misdemeanor count of ethnic intimidation, one summary count of disorderly conduct for engaging in fighting, and one summary count of harassment for subjecting another to physical contact. The Hanover Eagles, a longstanding community hub in Penn Township's Park Street area, became the unlikely scene of the violence, drawing initial coverage from 6ABC affiliates.[1][2] A preliminary hearing for the couple is scheduled for Feb. 17, as the case tests Pennsylvania's ethnic intimidation statutes amid heightened community tensions in rural York County. Local residents expressed shock over the alleged hate-fueled assault in the traditionally conservative area, where fraternal clubs like the Eagles serve as social anchors for generations of families. Prosecutors continue to build their case based on witness statements and the suspects' own admissions.[1][2]