Detroit Beating Victim Now Conscious in Hospital; Daughter Says Steve Utash Constantly Pleads, 'Get Them Off Me'

The Detroit man who was put into a medically induced coma after being beaten by an angry mob in the city's east side has reportedly gained consciousness.

In a post by family members of Steve Utash, daughter Mandi Marie Utash wrote that her father had been removed from a ventilator and could breathe without the help of any machinery.

"He is in and out of it with his memories," she wrote on the site, which was first set up to help Steve Utash pay for his medical expenses. "Sometimes he can look at me and remember who I am and other times, he can't. Today when I asked him how old he is. He said, 'I'm two years old,' but he did not know his name."

Steve Utash accidentally hit 10-year-old David Harris last Wednesday with his vehicle after the boy stepped off a curb in front of a Clark gas station. 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 his car to check on the victim. Residents of the neighborhood and passerby who watched the crash then mauled Utash, causing him multiple serious injuries.

Mandi said her 54-year-old father seems to be having flashbacks to the April 2 event. She told USA Today he continuously says, "I don't want to die, I'm sorry," and "Please get them off me."

But she maintained that he was making great strides, and is on a slew of powerful medications that make him hazy.

"These are baby steps," she stated. "He is able to wiggle his toes on command and answer yes or no questions. It's too soon to tell if he's going to have any memory loss or long-term damage. The frontal lobe is what was affected the most, and that is where his memories and personality are and this is a long road ahead but the end of the road will be worth it."

Police have arrested four suspects in alleged connection with the attack.

24-year-old James Davis, 30-year-old Wonzey Saffold, Bruce Wimbush, 17, and one unidentified 16-year-old have been taken into police custody. They've been charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm and intent to murder. Law enforcement officials are investigating whether the event was racially charged.