The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A white couple from Brooklyn has been accused of a violent and racist attack of a black woman who works at a Connecticut hotel.
59-year-old Crystal Boyd (a.k.a. Crystal Caldwell) works at the front desk at the Quality Inn in Mystic.
On the morning of June 26, a couple that was staying in the hotel reportedly placed a call to the front desk about a problem regarding the water temperature.
Though Boyd believed the situation had been taken care of, the man from the room, identified as 39-year-old Philip Samer, reportedly went to the desk and confronted the woman.
When Samer walked up to Boyd he allegedly got physical and punched her in the face and head.
Boyd reportedly went to get ice from the machine to try to soothe her injuries, but Samer and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Emily Orbay, reportedly trailed after her.
A surveillance camera located near the ice machine area caught footage of another person preparing an ice pack for Boyd when Samer and Orbay allegedly entered and began to violently attack the woman while issuing purported racial slurs.
When speaking with news outlets, Boyd asserted that she was called “monkey” and told that she does not belong here, while the pair were assaulting her.
Boyd needed medical attention, and she was taken to Pequot Treatment Center where they diagnosed her with a concussion and several injuries all over her body.
When Orbay and Samer requested medical treatment, they were sent to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, and the authorities reportedly planned to arrest them after they were released.
The officers reported that they were disallowed entry to the hospital due to COVID-19 restrictions and that it afforded Samer and Orbay the chance to escape in their vehicle and avoid being apprehended when they exited the medical center.
Two weeks after the incident, the pair was located in Brooklyn, New York, and they were taken into custody by U.S. Marshals.
Sarner is facing charges for suspicion of second-degree assault, third-degree assault, and imitation based on bigotry and bias.
Orbay is expected to face charges for third-degree assault, and imitation based on bigotry and bias.
Both suspects have been extradited to Connecticut due to the incident.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.