Manchester Man Indicted On Terrorism Charge In Lakewood Attacks

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Manchester Township man has been indicted on terrorism and other charges in a spree of attacks on ultra-Orthodox Jews in Lakewood and Jackson in April, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Thursday.

Dion Marsh, 27, was indicted Wednesday by an Ocean County grand jury on 32 counts in the April 8 attacks in Lakewood and Jackson where three ultra-Orthodox Jewish men were hit by a car and a third man was stabbed, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Marsh was indicted on one charge of terrorism; two counts of carjacking; seven counts of bias intimidation "with a purpose to intimidate an individual or group of individuals because of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, or ethnicity;" seven counts of bias intimidation "knowing that the conduct constituting the offense would cause an individual or group of individuals to be intimidated because of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, or ethnicity;" four counts of attempted murder; attempted kidnapping; five counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and five counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, the prosecutor's office said.

Also indicted Wednesday was Michelle Strachan, 28, of Jackson, on two counts of hindering apprehension, Billhimer said.

"A thorough review of the totality of the circumstances surrounding this defendant’s intent, conduct and behavior led us to the charge of terrorism," Billhimer said. "We are prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, that Marsh intended to terrorize the Jewish community in Lakewood and Jackson.

"This indictment is just the next step in bringing this young man to justice," Billhimer said.

Marsh told detectives he attacked the men, and when asked why, said "it had to be done" that "these are the real devils", and when asked to whom he was referring," the Hasidic Jews".

The prosecutor's office gave the following timeline of events in the April 8 attacks:

At about 1:10 p.m., a man driving a 2011 Toyota Camry north on Arlington Avenue in Lakewood was approached by Marsh, who was walking, in the area of Lincoln Street. Marsh tried to open the car door, which the victim locked as he watched Marsh approach. When Marsh tried to open the door, the victim hit the accelerator and Marsh then reached through the open window and tried to hold on to the vehicle while the victim continued to drive, traveling about a block before Marsh let go.

About 1:15 p.m., Lakewood police were called to the area of Martin Luther King Drive and Pine Street for a report of a carjacking. They determined a man had approached a 2016 Toyota Camry, assaulted the driver, and drove away in the car.

About 5:20 p.m., a man was crossing Kimball Road at Central Avenue in Lakewood when a dark-colored sedan hit him from the right side, causing minor bodily injury. The vehicle took off, authorities said.

About 5:25 p.m., a man called 911 and said a skinny Black man in a black Honda Accord had approached his minor child and tried to pull him into the car but failed. The call was from the area of Carlton Avenue and Central Avenue in Lakewood, authorities said.

About 6 p.m., Lakewood police received a report of a pedestrian being hit by a vehicle in that same area, Central Avenue and Carlton Avenue. Responding officers found a man had been hit by a dark-colored vehicle. The victim was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was treated for his injuries and released.

About 6:55 p.m., Lakewood police received to a 911 call about a stabbing in the area of Pine Circle Drive and Lakewood New Egypt Road and found a man with a stab wound to his chest. The victim was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where he was treated for his injuries and released.

About 8:20 p.m., Jackson police received a 911 call about a man being hit by a car in the area of Galassi Court and were able to determine the victim had been hit by the Toyota Camry stolen in the carjacking in Lakewood earlier in the day. The victim was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where he was treated and released to a rehabilitation facility.

The investigation found Marsh was responsible for all of the attacks, Billhimer said, and he was arrested at his home in Manchester later that night. He has been held in the Ocean County Jail since his arrest.

Strachan was interviewed April 8, and detectives determined she provided conflicting information to investigators, and was charged with hindering apprehension as a result, the prosecutor's office said.

Marsh initially was charged with three counts of attempted murder, carjacking, bias intimidation and weapons charges, with charges of attempted carjacking, attempted kidnapping and more bias intimidation charges added later, Billhimer said.

The terrorism charge was added with the approval of acting state Attorney General Matthew Platkin, Billhimer said.

Marsh additionally has been charged in federal court with four counts of violating the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and one count of carjacking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.

Sellinger said the hate crimes charges were filed because Marsh is charged with willfully causing bodily injury to four victims, and attempting to cause them injury with a dangerous weapon, because they were Jewish. He is charged with attempting to kill three of those victims, including one he stabbed the victim in the chest.

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