Wonzey Safford, one of two men who pleaded guilty in the Steve Utash beating, was sentenced Monday to 6 years and 4 months to 10 years in prison.The other man got probation.
Bruce Wimbush, 18, received three years probation, according WDIV. Utash was beaten by a mob on April 2 after he hit a 10-year-old with his truck and got out to see if he was OK.
The two defendants were in the courtroom with relatives of Utash, who spoke up before the sentences were imposed.
Utash's daughter Mandi read a letter from her dad, WDIV reported.
“There was nothing I could do, he basically ran into the side of my truck,” Utash wrote. “I got out as quickly as I could and I ran to where the kid was laying.”
“Teenagers started throwing punches at me and screaming that I hit the kid on purpose," she read.
Utash said he can't drive or work
“It’s been real scary for me. All I can say is the people who beat me tried to kill me,” he said.
Ken Utash, brother of Steve, said the men should be thankful for Deborah Hughes, the woman who intervened and stopped the men from beating Utash further.
“Only one person stepped up, and that was Deborah Hughes. These defendants should be thanking Deborah Hughes today, because right now you would be standing here for murder. My brother would be dead. They have shown no respect for life.”
