Ohio Man Tried To Run Over Black Partiers: Prosecutors

CLEVELAND — A 50-year-old man is accused of shouting racial slurs while trying to run over Black attendees at a graduation party.

Rickey Adkins, 50, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of ethnic intimidation, felonious assault, failure to comply, aggravated robbery and more. Adkins is also accused of robbing his brother at knife point.

“These violent and overtly racist attacks will not be tolerated,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said. “It is a miracle that no one was seriously injured by such outrageous actions.”

On June 21, 2020, a graduation party was being held on Riverside Avenue in Cleveland, near W. 32nd Street. Cleveland Police records from the date of the incident show a car drove around the party seven or eight times, according to Cleveland police records, before it was piloted onto the sidewalk and aimed at party goers. The driver shouted racial slurs while driving towards people, witnesses told Cleveland police.

Police said they received cell phone recordings showing the car swerving onto the sidewalk and lawn area in an apparent attempt to hit attendees.

Adkins was identified by investigators and taken into custody by police on June 22, according to prosecutors.

In an unrelated incident, on Jan. 7, 2020, Adkins broke into his brother's home on Riverside Ave., pushed his brother to the ground, held a knife to his throat and stole cash and car keys, prosecutors said. He then drove away in his brother's car, prosecutors said.

Adkins sped away from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, leading law enforcement on a brief chase before police stopped the pursuit due to safety concerns, according to prosecutors. Adkins was driving at speeds over 100 mph, prosecutors said.

Adkins will be arraigned Friday.