Suspect Convicted of Stalking and Harassing Multi-Racial Family

(KNSI) — The suspect accused of deliberately crashing an unoccupied SUV into the Cold Spring home of a multi-racial family has been found guilty of stalking and second-degree assault motivated by bias.

Benton Louis Beyer is accused of stalking and harassing Andrea Robinson and her family for several months, including ramming an SUV into their home in July of 2021. The family was home when the SUV came crashing through the side of it, and one of Robinson’s children was sleeping on the couch in the living room, just a short distance from the impact. The criminal complaint says Beyer’s actions were also racially motivated. Andrea is white. Her husband is Black, and they have biracial children. The complaint says Beyer became fixated on Robinson and her family after his girlfriend cheated on him with a Black man. The Robinson’s home is near where Beyer’s ex-girlfriend worked and roughly six blocks from where Beyer and his girlfriend lived.

The jury found Beyer guilty of stalking, violations of harassment restraining orders, first-degree criminal damage to property, theft of a motor vehicle, and multiple counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. The jury further found that the stalking and second-degree assault charges were motivated by bias against the victims based upon the victims’ race or household members. Prosecutors also tacked on aggravating factors, saying the crimes were committed “in the presence of a child who saw, heard, witnessesed, or otherwise perceived the offense.” The jury agreed.

The judge ordered Beyer to remain in custody pending sentencing to be held on November 18th.

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