Fresno Sikh man testifies against accused attacker

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Sikh man who was beaten and run over in an alleged hate crime testified in the trial of one of his accused attackers.

The man on trial is 23-year-old Daniel Wilson. He is charged in the beating attack of 68-year-old Amrik Singh Bal. Security camera video shows the victim walking down the street when a car stops. Two figures get out and attack him. Then they get back in the car, turn it around, and hit him with the car. The first witness in the case was the victim.

"I thought they were going to kill me," Bal told the court in Punjabi.

Through a translator, Bal described the surprise attack he endured, and showed the court his still misaligned collar bone, broken in the attack. Judge Jonathan Conklin explained to the jury.

"He is showing to the court and both attorneys are observing his right shoulder area and what appears to be a bone under the skin in that area," he said. "Both attorneys agree. Yes, would you show the bone to Ms. Pincus."

It was the day after Christmas, a cold and foggy morning when Bal was waiting for a ride to work. He had a job as a farm laborer when the prosecution said he was singled out by the two young men simply because of his turban and middle eastern appearance.

"The case against Daniel Wilson is a case of is a case of hatred, the words of ISIS, terrorist and, "'Let's get him,' were spoken by the defendant moments before him and Alexis Mendoza, who you are going to learn about as well, both attacked Mr. Amrik Singh Bal," deputy district attorney Tim Donovan said.

Wilson and Mendoza were both arrested and charged in the attack. Mendoza the alleged driver of the car has since committed suicide. The defense claims the case against Wilson is one of mistaken identity.

"Mr. Bal was attacked that morning of December 26. That's not the issue here," Pincus said. "What is the issue is the identity of the people who attacked him."

Bal Said he can't identify the attackers because they came at him from behind.

"They didn't say anything they just came and started beating me, and I kept saying, 'Don't hit me, don't hit me,' but they kept beating me," he said through a translator.

One of Mendoza's cousins testified he heard Wilson describe the attack during a cell phone conversation with his cousin. Wilson is charged with felony assault and a hate crime and could get eight years in prison if convicted.