CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland police are investigating a possible hate crime after anti-gay slurs were used during a West Side assault.

The attack happened late Wednesday night. According to police:

A 27-year-old Cleveland man was driving his black Chevy northbound on State Road near Portman Avenue when a red Saturn attempted to pass on the right side.

When parked cars blocked the way, the Saturn swerved left into oncoming traffic and pulled up to the Chevy's driver's side.

Someone in the Saturn yelled an anti-gay slur and pelted the Chevy with a plastic cup full of soda. The Saturn pulled in front of the Chevy, which briefly gave chase before turning away. The driver then noticed the Saturn approaching from behind.

The Saturn tailed the Chevy to Mira Court -- a dead end street -- and boxed in the car. The driver of the Chevy, who had a friend with him, got out of his car to confront the four people in the Saturn.

The group -- two women, both 20, and two men, one 20 and the other 40 -- got out of the car, spewed anti-gay slurs and accused the driver of cutting off the Saturn on State Road.

Someone in the group punched the driver when he denied cutting off the Saturn.

"You don't have to do this," the driver said. "Just go on your way."

One of the women in the group called the driver an anti-gay slur while she hit him and pushed him to the ground. The attackers went back to the Saturn and one of them launched a beer bottle at the driver of the Chevy, cutting him.

The attackers fled the scene.

The Cleveland Division of Police on Friday night issued a news release announcing the level of scrutiny given to the investigation.

"There are some elements involved in this crime that have led the Division of Police to exercise an abundance of caution and investigate this matter as a possible hate crime," the release said.

It is unclear if arrests have been made. A police report gives only the first names of three of the Saturn's occupants. The fourth suspect is not named.

A police spokesman on Saturday morning did not immediately return a request for details about the identities of the suspects.

The victim received five stitches at Cleveland Clinic after the attack.