Jeremiah James McBride, left, the Bend man accused of a hate crime for allegedly verbally abusing a delivery driver at Red Robin in the Old Mill District, made his first appearance Tuesday in Deschutes County Circuit Court.

The Bend man accused of a hate crime for allegedly calling a delivery driver the N-word at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews made his first appearance Tuesday in Deschutes County Circuit Court.

After the hearing, Jeremiah James McBride denied his accuser’s account and said he’s willing to take the matter to trial to prove his innocence.

“The DA turned this into something it isn’t,” McBride said, referring to the district attorney. “And when this is all said and done and I’m found completely innocent, I’m coming after his office next.”

McBride, 36, is charged with four misdemeanors: harassment, bias crime and two counts of criminal mischief.

According to the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, McBride was a patron in the Red Robin bar on the night of June 28 when DoorDash delivery driver Billal Ahmedin entered to collect a food order. Prosecutors allege McBride did not believe Ahmedin was a delivery driver and confronted him, and then followed him outside, where he yelled at Ahmedin, shoved him and kicked his vehicle.

McBride said this account is false. On the night in question, McBride said it appeared to him that Ahmedin grabbed the food order without looking at the receipt, so he asked Ahmedin if he was sure he had the right order. McBride said he was trying to be helpful, but the gesture led to an argument in which Ahmedin lost his temper.

“It was terrible how he acted,” McBride said Tuesday. “He followed me to my car, screaming and yelling the entire way, spit flying in my face. He told me his brother was going to come kick my a — and kill me.”

The charges against McBride were announced a month later in a strongly worded statement by District Attorney John Hummel.

“Being disbelieved, called the N-word, pursued outside, having his car kicked and damaged, and being shouted at and shoved, must have been demoralizing, hurtful and maddening,” Hummel wrote. “It is something that would never have happened to a white man.”

On Tuesday, McBride was assigned a court-appointed attorney and given a court date in September to enter a plea. Judge Alycia Sykora allowed McBride, who had no prior Oregon criminal record, to remain free while his case is pending.

McBride told The Bulletin he was fired from his last job as a result of the case. He said he told the employer about the charges, but it was Hummel’s press release that led to his termination.

Calls to Ahmedin were directed to his civil attorney, Erious Johnson, who declined to comment.

By Tuesday, supporters had raised $4,200 for Ahmedin through a GoFundMe page.