Cellphone video captures South Beach brawl

Victim was intoxicated, uncooperative, police say

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Cellphone video captured a brawl over the weekend on South Beach.

The video was obtained by Sherbrooke Hotel owner Mitch Novick, who posted it on his Facebook page, the South Beach Sludge Report.

According to an incident report obtained by Local 10 News, the victim, David Hutchetson, 19, of New York, was walking about 8:45 p.m. Saturday along Ocean Drive and Ninth Street when he was attacked by a group of men.

Police said Hutchetson told them that he remembers being approached by several men and getting hit, but doesn't remember anything else.

Police said Hutchetson was intoxicated and uncooperative and didn't provide many details.

They said witnesses reported seeing a fight, but they were unable to get a good visual of anything.

Hutchetson was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center to be treated for a small cut to his right arm.

According to the South Beach Sludge Report Facebook page, this is the second recent attack on Ocean Drive.

Novick said another fight was reported the night of May 6 in front of Wet Willie's.

"Ocean Drive has become a carnival-like, crime-ridden circus of noise and purveyors of alcohol," Novick told Local 10 News reporter Terrell Forney. "These businesses, they seek customers to get them drunk, and what we're witnessing is the problems that rise from those issues."

Anyone with information about the latest fight is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

Brutal Attack on Dangerous Ocean Drive, May 13, 2017.

Miami Beach commissioners are intentionally trying to paint a picture that suggests the problems which still plague the Ocean Drive “Entertainment” district are improving. This false narrative is being orchestrated by commissioners corruptive campaign donors who plan to vigorously fight against any substantive Ocean Drive reform which includes noise abatement from Mangos, The Clevelander, Edison and others. It is the unrestricted and obnoxious noise from these businesses which serves much like a magnet to attract and fuel the Spring Break mentality and crime we’re all witnessing. This is the second Ocean Drive brutal attack this week that the Sludge Report became aware of. The other occurred last Saturday in front of Wet Willies shortly before 8pm. We hope to obtain that video shortly! Residents who live South of Fifth Street overwhelmingly voted in support of a closing time rollback on Ocean Drive from 5am to 2am. Mayoral candidate Michael Grieco and his commission colleagues continue to ignore, refuse to discuss, nor acknowledge this important vote. Grieco has also taken more Ocean Drive $$$ than his colleagues combined. Commissioners all continue to do a disservice to our community by ignoring Ocean Drive’s noisy-carnival-like-crime-ridden-circus and the Voter supported closing time rollback. They’ve each sold our city short, compromised their integrity, and should all be ashamed of themselves! Plese "LIKE" the Sludge Report!

Posted by South Beach Sludge Report on Sunday, May 14, 2017

About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.