from a defense perspective, you have to hope your client had been drinking at that party they were at until 5 in the morning. If he was drinking, you can try to argue that he didn't INTEND to hit the man, but was simply drunk driving and not paying attention or lost control of the truck.
Proving a hate crime is very difficult. The prosecution will need to show some affiliations with hate organizations or find some kind of direct evidence that this was racial motivated to show the intent to murder. A statement at a McDonald's probably won't be enough and someone shouting "white power" (which wasn't even the defendant I don't think) will be difficult without audio on the recordings.
I think a capable attorney could get this reduced from 1st degree and I doubt the hate crime murder theory sticks.
jmo