Crime & Safety

Man Convicted In Brutal Attack Inside Utica Home Sentenced to 30 Years

A 19-year-old man convicted in the brutal beating of a woman inside a Utica home in January was sentenced in Macomb County Circuit Court Tuesday.

A 19-year-old man convicted of severely beating a 60-year-old woman in Utica in January with an iron fire poker and throwing her down a flight of stairs before driving away in the victim’s vehicle was sentenced Tuesday to a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Diane Druzinski sentenced to 18 years and 30 months to 30 years in jail for a conviction of assault with intent to murder and two to five years for unlawful driving away of an automobile.

Hugbanks was credited for the 300 days already served in jail after he was arrested in January for the assault.

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On Sept. 19 a jury deliberated for eight hours before delivering their

Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor Derek Miller said it was extremely hard to explain to the jury why Hughbanks attacked the 60-year-old woman on January 11, 2011.

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“Nobody had an idea why this happened. Really, there was no motive, other than the fact that he did steal this woman’s car afterward,” said Miller. “It was a heinous, senseless crime.”

Hughbanks, who was 18 years old when he committed the crime, had met the victim for the first time the day of the assault.


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