Detroit Motorist Beating: Four Men Going To Trial For Attempted Murder, But No Hate Crime Charges

Four men accused of beating a Detroit motorist who stopped to help a 10-year-old boy he struck with his car are headed to trial for attempted murder, but not the hate crime charges that many critics felt the alleged assailants deserved.

On April 2 a group of black men beat a white motorist, Steve Utash, after the man accidentally ran into the boy at a Detroit gas station parking lot. Utash was beaten so badly that he was put into a medically induced coma, and now faces a long and difficult recovery.

Police have identified and arrested four men for the Detroit motorist beating — Latrez Cummings, 19, James Davis, 24, Wonzey Saffold, 30, and Bruce Wimbush Jr., 17.

On Monday, Judge Thomas Jackson ordered the for to stand trial on attempted murder charges.

Many critics called for the alleged assailants to be charged with a hate crime.

Greg Murray, a black columnist with the Macomb Daily, wrote that the beating was “nothing less than a hate crime” and deserved to be prosecuted as such.

At least one of the suspects has expressed regret over the Detroit motorist beating. Latrez Cummings said through a prosecutor that he has been praying for Steve Utash in his recovery.

“I pray for the man every day. I hope him and the boy are going to be OK,” Cummings told police.

Witnesses have described the beating as chaotic and violent. Deborah Hughes, a nurse credited with stopping the attack, said Cummins kicked Utash at least 10 times. Ashley Daniels, another witness, said Utash had his hat knocked off by one of the assailants, and then was dared to pick it up before he was hit again.

“He fell. He got up again,” she said. “It was like he was almost accepting it.”

But police have said the crime was more about vengeance than hate. Interviews indicated that the four men recognized the boy and wanted to take revenge on Steve Utash.

“I saw the little boy on the ground… and I lost it,” Saffold told investigators.

The Detroit motorist beating has actually been able to unify the city in its support of Steve Utash. In the days after the beating, many leaders in the black community called on those who knew the assailants to turn them in, and religious leaders from all backgrounds came together to pray for Utash and even raise money for his recovery.