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Man claims attack by stranger in Seabrook was racially motivated
FOX 26 Reporter Natalie Hee spoke with the Harris County District Attorney's Office regarding the incident.
SEABROOK, Texas - A Seabrook man claims he was beaten bloody by a total stranger while riding his bike last Friday. His family believes the incident was racially motivated.
Seabrook Police say it happened just before 10 a.m. on Friday, October 29 while the man, 50-year-old Elliott Reed, was riding his bike around the Lakepoint Forest neighborhood. Reed said riding his bike is part of his morning exercise routine.
However, this time, Reed claims a man he’s never met before came up to confront him, then violently beat him until he became unconscious.
"I can’t open this eye. There’s trauma to the back of the eye as well. I got five stitches. My lip is busted and he chipped my tooth," said Reed.
Reed was sent to the hospital but is now home recovering.
"As I was resting, a young man in a pickup truck pulled up beside me and said you need to get off this corner because you are making people uncomfortable. I didn’t know what that meant and he said you need to go now," Reed said.
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"You can hear me ask him, ‘who are you? Are you the law? If I’m making you uncomfortable, you need to call the police,’ then it was a neighbor right there who I see every morning. I turn to her and I said, ‘ma’am do I live over here?' And she said ‘yes, of course you do.’ So when I turned back around, I see him rushing me. He tackled me and as soon as I hit the ground, my head hit the ground. I went out," Reed continued.
Some neighbors who witnessed the incident tell FOX 26, they heard racist remarks being said by the perpetrator before the attack.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office says the suspect, Collin Fries, 25, is currently charged with a misdemeanor assault - bodily injury.
In a statement, a HCDAO spokesperson said, "We are still in the initial stages of the review of this incident. What happens with regard to whether a charge is increased or a hate crime enhancement is added, will depend upon the totality of the evidence."
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FOX 26 spoke with Fries' mother on Monday. She said she believes the attack was provoked by Reed who allegedly insulted her son and his sisters first.
Court records say the suspect has now bonded out.
This case remains under investigation.