Dion Marsh, 27, was arrested and charged with federal hate crimes for a series of violent attacks on Orthodox Jewish men in New Jersey. Photo courtesy Ocean County Prosecutor's Office
April 20 (UPI) -- A New Jersey man was charged with federal hate crimes for a series of violent attacks on four Jewish men in the state, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
Dion Marsh, 27, was charged with four counts of violating the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act including willfully causing bodily injury to four victims -- all of whom were "visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish men -- and attempting to kill and cause injuries with dangerous weapons to three, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Marsh also faces one count of carjacking.
According to court documents, Marsh's actions included these incidents:
He assaulted a Jewish man in Lakewood, N.J., at 1:18 p.m. April 8, forcing him out of his vehicle. He then got behind the wheel of the car and drove away.
At 6:06 p.m. that day, Marsh deliberately struck another Jewish man while driving a different car, leaving him with several broken bones, the documents say.
Less than an hour later, Marsh was behind the wheel of the car he stole from the first victim, which he used to strike a Jewish man walking in Lakewood before getting out of the car and stabbing the man in the chest.
Still driving the stolen vehicle, Marsh struck another man who was walking in Jackson Township, N.J., causing him to sustain broken bones and internal injuries.
Marsh was arrested at his home at midnight April 9.
He faces a statutory maximum term of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charges of attempting to kill the victims and a statutory maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the assault charges.
The carjacking charge carries a statutory maximum term of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
