BAL HARBOUR, FLA. (WSVN) - The victim of an alleged anti-Semitic hate crime in Bal Harbour spoke to 7News to share his story.
Victim Harvey Wolinetz said Daniel Starikov approached his group and spit at them near the 9600 block of Collins Avenue on March 22.
“This guy was running, and he all of a sudden spit at people,” said Wolinetz. “He hadn’t spit at me, but he had spit at some of the other people, and he just kept running.”
Bal Harbour Village Police said Starikov targeted another group of Orthodox Jews just minutes before this incident, hurling things like, “You Jews, I’m gonna get you!”
Starikov was arrested Wednesday for his alleged attacks on the groups as they walked to, or in the area of, synagogues.
“He spat on two Orthodox Jews on the Sabbath, and they believe that they were targeted because of their faith,” said a representative at his bond court hearing.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office will determine whether or not Starikov will be charged with a hate crime.
“There’s definitely some alcoholism related issues going on,” said Aubrey Webb, Starikov’s attorney. “I can tell you he comes from a very nice family here. A lot of them live in the United States. They are not anti-Semitic. They are saddened. They are outraged, kind of, with what happened to these people and the allegation. They just want help for Mr. Starikov.”
Starikov currently sits behind bars at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade.
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