A New Jersey man was charged with federal hate crimes for a series of violent assaults on members of the Orthodox Jewish community in and around Lakewood, New Jersey, officials announced Wednesday.
Dion Marsh, 27, of Manchester, is charged with four counts of violating the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and one count of carjacking.
With respect to the hate crimes violations, Marsh is charged with willfully causing bodily injury to four victims, and attempting to kill and cause injuries with dangerous weapons to three of them, all because they were Jewish.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
At 1:18 p.m. on April 8, Marsh forced a visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man out of his car in Lakewood, assaulting and injuring him in the process.
Marsh took control of the man’s car and drove away. A surveillance video in the area captured Marsh arriving in the area prior to the carjacking and assault.
At 6:06 p.m., Marsh was in Lakewood driving a different car when he deliberately struck another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man with the vehicle, causing the victim to suffer several broken bones.
At 6:55 p.m., Marsh, once again driving the vehicle that he had stolen from the first victim, used it to deliberately strike another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man who was walking in Lakewood.
Marsh got out of the vehicle and stabbed the man in the chest with a knife, causing significant injuries.
At 8:23 p.m., Marsh, still driving the vehicle that he had stolen from the first victim, used it to deliberately strike another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man who was walking in nearby Jackson Township, New Jersey, causing the man to suffer several broken bones and internal injuries.
On April 9, law enforcement officers arrested Marsh at his residence.
If convicted on the charges, Marsh faces up to life in prison.