Man who allegedly drove through Newton Black Lives Matter demonstration arraigned
Stephen Wicks, 55, of Needham, was ordered to stay away from and have no contact with witnesses of the July 7 incident.
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A Needham man who prosecutors allege drove through a crowd at a Newton Black Lives Matter demonstration in July was arraigned Monday and released on personal recognizance.
Stephen Wicks, 55, appearing in Newton District Court, was ordered to have no contact with and stay away from witnesses of the incident, Wicked Local reports. He is charged with driving to endanger.
Newton police say witnesses saw and video footage captured Wicks driving through the group of about 50 protesters outside City Hall on July 7, according to the news outlet.
Wicks was subsequently charged with operating a motor vehicle so as to endanger and failure to use care when starting a motor vehicle, Wicked Local reports.
Two videos showed a person revving his engine, beeping, and speeding through a gap in the protesters, some of whom darted out of the way, according to the outlet. No one was hit during the incident.
Newton North High School student Rachel Alpert-Wisnia, 16, said the man, identified as Wicks, had confronted the group as an organizer spoke about her personal experience with racism by yelling and asking if the protesters cared about “unborn Black babies,” Wicked Local reports.
Wicks is due back in court on Nov. 24.
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