The Detroit man who was beaten by a mob of angry neighbors after striking a child with his truck remains in critical condition at St. John Hospital and Medical Center.
Roseville resident Steve Utash's family kept vigil at the hospital on Thursday night, where the Michigan man who works as a tree trimmer was unconscious, the Times Herald reported.
Steve was beaten by a group of witnesses on Wednesday, after he struck 11-year-old David Harris, who stepped off a curb in front of a Clark gas station on the city's east side. According to Detroit Police Sgt. Michael Woody, it appeared the driver hit the child at about 4:10 p.m., then pulled over and exited the vehicle to check on the victim. Passerby and residents of the neighborhood who watched the crash then reportedly assaulted him.
The child survived with no broken bones.
Steve's daughter Felicia Utash said her family was devastated by the attack.
"What happened to my dad is a shame," Felicia wrote on Facebook. "He was doing the right thing like he always does. He's a tree trimmer for a living and makes sure all the squirrels are out of a tree before he cuts it down. He's an amazing dad and person. He's very loved, and those kids should be ashamed."
Steve reportedly suffered multiple injuries to the head. He currently doesn't have health insurance, and his family plans to organize a fundraiser to help pay for medical costs, the Times Herald reported.
Woody said Steve "is still in critical condition, and it's not really looking all that good."
The child's family members told the Times Herald that none of them hit, or even touched Steve Utash.
29-year-old Desmond Key, David's uncle, said he heard people claiming the driver tried to run off during the attack, but that he didn't think that was true.
"I'm sorry that guy got hurt, but our family didn't have anything to do with that guy getting hurt," he said.
Video surveillance shows that David ran off the curb and was struck suddenly by Steve's car.
"We understand that David ran into the street," David's godfather James Duston Jr. said. "We understand that. He's swollen, he's got abrasions, and he's hurting."
Key told the Times Herald that his family didn't know who was involved in the assault. Woody said police have not identified any suspects yet.
"What we want to remind everybody, not just the citizens that live here, but those that work and play here as well, is that...this is not conducive to how the city of Detroit generally handles things," Woody stated. "This is very much an anomaly. It's very much a shock to all of us...Right now, we have a man that's in the hospital fighting for his life. We have a young boy that I understand is also still in the hospital. He is recovering."
