Police: Dion Marsh accused of stealing car, striking 2 pedestrians and stabbing man in chest in New Jersey
LAKEWOOD, N.J. -- More details are being released about a crime spree that left three people injured in New Jersey this weekend.
Police arrested 27-year-old Dion Marsh, who they say stole a car, then hit two pedestrians and stabbed another man in the chest in what's being called a hate crime spree.
The Orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood is on alert after a series of attacks on Friday that may have been motivated by hate.
As CBS2's Kevin Rincon reports, it started with an attempted carjacking around noon. Surveillance video allegedly shows Marsh clinging onto a car as the victim drives off.
Police say an hour later, Marsh assaulted a man and stole his car along Martin Luther King Drive and Pine Street.
Around 6 p.m., cops say Marsh hit a pedestrian near Central and Carlton avenues, and less than an hour later, investigators say he stabbed a man in the area of Pine Circle Drive and Lakewood New Egypt Road.
Finally, that same night, Marsh is accused of hitting another pedestrian in the same stolen car in nearby Jackson Township.
All of the victims are expected to survive.
When Marsh was arrested Saturday night, investigators say he was heard making antisemitic remarks.
"It's one of the worst things that can possibly happen as an elected official to get a phone call that something like this is going on in your town," Lakewood Mayor Raymond Coles said.
Reacting to the crime spree, Gov. Phil Murphy says, "The safety of our communities, and notably our communities of faith, is not only a paramount concern but among my highest priorities."
New Jersey Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin on Twitter said his office is ready to lend their support to the Ocean County prosecutor's office as it investigates.
The FBI's Newark Field Office says it's aware of the incidents in Lakewood, and if information comes to light of a potential federal violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate.
"There has to be zero tolerance. Zero tolerance at every level," Congressman Christopher Smith said.
Smith says the FBI's own numbers show antisemitism is a growing concern.
"It shows that 55% of the hate crimes are against Jewish people and Jewish synagogues and the like, but it's directed against Judaism. That is appalling," he said.
This year, as of the end of February, there were eight bias incidents in Lakewood, more than any other municipality in New Jersey, according to state police.
"We're adding extra patrols, both marked and unmarked. We're partnering up with the county, state, as well as the federal government," Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer said.
That additional police presence will also coincide with Passover later this month.
Meanwhile, Marsh is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder.
