Man Charged In Attacks On Orthodox Jews Ordered Held Until Trial

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Manchester Township man has been ordered to be held until trial on charges he attacked Orthodox Jewish men because they were Jewish, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Tuesday.

Dion Marsh, 27, will remain in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River until trial on state charges of terrorism, attempted murder, carjacking, attempted carjacking, attempted kidnapping, and three counts of bias intimidation in a string of attacks on April 8.

Marsh last week was charged 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.

Authorities say Marsh forced a visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man out of his car in Lakewood, assaulting and injuring him, then took off with the car. They say he swapped vehicles at his grandmother's home and, in his grandmother's car, deliberately hit an Orthodox Jewish man in Lakewood, breaking several bones. He then returned to his grandmother's home and took the car he had stolen earlier and drove back to Lakewood, where he deliberately hit another man, then got out and stabbed the man in the chest with a knife. Marsh drove to Jackson, where he deliberately hit another Orthodox Jewish man, driving up on the sidewalk to run over the man, according to witnesses and the probable cause affidavit filed by Ocean County detectives.

The probable cause affidavit alleges Marsh tried to kidnap a Jewish boy in addition to the other attacks.

According to the affidavit, "Dion Marsh advised when asked why he did all the acts he committed, he stated 'it had to be done' that 'these are the real devils', and when asked to whom he was referring, 'the Hasidic Jews.' "

Marsh was arrested early April 9 at his home in Manchester and has been in the Ocean County Jail since then.

Previous coverage:

• Federal Hate Crimes Charged In Attack Spree On Ocean Co. Orthodox Jews
  
• Terrorism Charges Added In Lakewood Attacks: Ocean Prosecutor
  
• Suspect In Assaults Made Antisemitic Comments To Police, Records Show
• Ocean County Jewish Community Shaken After 3 Men Attacked
• Man Faces Bias Charges In Stabbing, Hit-And-Runs In Lakewood, Jackson

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