Bay City man likely to plead in ethnic intimidation case

A man charged with hurling ethnically insensitive epithets at two men outside a Bay City bar is likely to accept in plea deal. Delane D. Bell, 25, waived his right to a preliminary examination Thursday, prompting Bay County District Judge Mark E. Janer to bind him over to Circuit Court. Bell is scheduled to enter a plea before Circuit Judge Kenneth W. Schmidt at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 6. Bell is facing single counts of ethnic intimidation, malicious destruction of property between $200 and $1,000 and assault and battery. Prosecutors allege that around 1:50 a.m. on Nov. 26, Bell was standing on East Midland Street near North Henry Street when he shouted “Osama bin Laden” and “jihad” at two men of Indian descent. Bell reportedly punched one of the men in the face and struck the other’s BMW, denting the door.

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