Retired Nurse Called Hero for Stopping Detroit Attack

April 09--When Steve Utash was on the ground, being beaten by a mob, one woman stepped in to stop the attack.

Detroit police credited retired nurse Deborah Hughes with saving Utash, who was beaten by a crowd that quickly gathered after his pickup struck a 10-year-old boy on Detroit's east side last week.

Detroit police Sgt. Michael Woody said that when Hughes got onto the ground to shield Utash during the attack, his assailants backed off.

"She's a hero for it," Woody said. "She saved that man's life."

In an interview with the Free Press on Tuesday, Hughes, 56, said that from her home she saw the injured child on the ground, put on her jacket and went to help. While she tended to the child, Utash got out of his truck and started walking toward them.

She said he asked: "Did I do this? Is he alive?"

Suddenly a mob -- between 10 and 12 people, according to police -- began attacking Utash, who put up his hands to block the blows.

Hughes intervened.

"I told them to leave him alone. Don't nobody hit him anymore," she said.

As Utash was lying on the ground, Hughes said she rubbed his chest and neck and massaged his nostrils until he started breathing.

"He woke up in a panic and started fighting," Hughes said, adding that she helped a paramedic restrain him.

Utash, 54, of Clinton Township is hospitalized with critical head injuries, according to police and his family. Joe Utash said his father is in a medically-induced coma.

The 10-year-old, who was hit by Utash's pickup when he stepped out into traffic, was hospitalized, but was expected to make a full recovery, police have said.

As police continue to investigate the beating, two men and a teenager have been charged and arraigned in connection with the April 2 assault, which occurred near a gas station at Morang and McKinney. Prosecutors are deciding whether to charge a 16-year-old, who is in custody, as an adult.

Joe Utash, Steve Utash's son, said that when he met Hughes on Tuesday, he starting crying and gave her a hug. He said she saved his father's life.

"I don't think he would have been dead, I know he would have been dead," Joe Utash said.

He said Hughes went to his father during the assault "and she did the best she could to stop it."

Hughes called the meeting with Utash's son "beautiful." She said Joe Utash plans to call her each day to provide an update on his dad's condition.

"I was so glad they wanted to meet with me," Hughes said.

James Deontae Davis, 24, Wonzey Saffold, 30, and Bruce Wimbush Jr., 17, were arraigned in Detroit's 36th District Court on charges of assault with intent to murder and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder.

A 16-year-old also is in custody in the beating, but has not been charged and remains at the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Center. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office is determining whether to charge the teen as an adult.

Davis, Wimbush and Saffold were each given $500,000 cash or surety bonds and are due back in court April 21.

Wimbush's attorney, Randall Upshaw, said his client is "alleged to have a minor role" in the assault. He called Wimbush's bond excessive and said he surrendered to the police, spoke to officers and is remorseful.

"The family and everyone who knows about the case is remorseful for the victim," Upshaw said. He said that's why Wimbush wanted to go speak to police "because he's remorseful about what happened to the victim."

Joe Utash said he believes his father's attack was a hate crime. Detroit Police Chief James Craig previously said police are investigating the possibility that the assault was a hate crime. Utash said he is "very impressed at the police effort in finding the people that did this to my dad."

Hughes said the incident was "one of the most awful things I've ever seen" and said she plans to move.

"I've never seen anything like I saw that day," she said. "I just feel devastated."

The incident has gained widespread attention and an outpouring of support for Utash and his family.

An online fund-raiser at https://www.gofundme.com/81r9sk had raised nearly $140,000 toward his medical bills as of Tuesday evening.

Anyone with information on the assault is asked to call Detroit police at 313-596-2260.

Contact Gina Damron: 313-223-4526 or gdamron@freepress.com

Copyright 2014 - Detroit Free Press