Men accused in attack on CBS News Chicago crew return to court
The three men accused in a crime spree that involved an attack on a CBS News Chicago crew last week appeared back in court Wednesday morning.
Jon Twist, 37; Rafael Salinas, 29; and William Huerta, 41, all had status hearings before Judge Anthony John Calabrese at the Cook County Courthouse in Skokie.
Police said the men attacked a CBS News Chicago reporter and photographer outside the Adler Planetarium on the afternoon of Monday, June 29.
The attackers suddenly jumped out of a white tow truck with a dog and then moved aggressively towards the crew. Witnesses said the men tried siccing a German shepherd on CBS News Chicago's photojournalist while yelling racial slurs, but the dog did not obey the command.
Twist, identified in arrest reports as a known gang member, is charged with a hate crime and criminal damage to property in the incident. Both charges are felonies.
The hate crime charges accuse Twist of "shouting racial obscenities" at a CBS News Chicago photographer who is Black, threatening a reporter, and smashing the windshield of a news live truck with a cone.
Salinas is also charged with a felony count of criminal damage to property, as well as aggravated battery to a peace officer. He is accused of damaging CBS News Chicago's team's camera, lights and tripod, and of helping Twist smash the windshield of the news van with a cone. The attackers caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Cook County prosecutors said a third man, William Huerta, 41, drove the men away from the Museum Campus in the tow truck and into Brighton Park.
The group was spotted pointing a gun from the tow truck at people in Richard J. Daley Park, at Western Avenue/Boulevard and the Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal, prosecutors said.
Police gave chase, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Huerta tried to brake-check officers and even put the tow truck in reverse and drove toward officers at one point.
After the police chase, the truck crashed. The three men and a fourth unidentified person ran but were quickly arrested, prosecutors said.
Twist, Salinas, and Huerta were all ordered detained until trial last week.
