Suspects due in court in attack on CBS News Chicago news crew
The men charged with attacking a CBS News Chicago crew near the Adler Planetarium were due in court for a detention hearing on Thursday.
Jon Twist, 37, is charged with a hate crime and criminal damage to property in the incident. Both charges are felonies.
Rafael Salinas, 29, is also charged with a felony count of criminal damage to property, as well as aggravated battery to a peace officer.
A third man, William Huerta, 41, is charged in a separate part of the men's alleged crime spree that happened in the Southwest Side's Brighton Park neighborhood.
It was Monday afternoon when a CBS News Chicago team was getting ready for a live report near the Adler Planetarium.
Suddenly, a group of men jumped out of a white tow truck with a dog and then moved aggressively towards the crew, yelling racial slurs targeted at the photographer. They ordered the dog to attack, but the dog did not obey the command.
The group then smashed the windows of CBS News Chicago's live truck and hurled a news camera to the ground. They caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Thankfully, the photographer and reporter were not hurt.
All three men were charged Wednesday night. CBS News Chicago did some digging and learned that Twist, the man charged with the hate crime, previously pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping and served time for a towing scam.
Salinas had an active warrant out for his arrest related to a hit-and-run at the time of the incident involving our news team.
A chain of events on Monday has been pieced together. A witness said first, Twist, Salinas, and Huerta stopped to get beer at Fuller Park Beverage, at 230 W. Root St.
A police source said the trio went off in a white tow truck and antagonized a person at 31st Street and Western Avenue near Daley Park.
After that, the same group traveled downtown, where they encountered our photojournalist and reporter doing their jobs.
After that attack, the suspects peeled off, and are accused of causing more trouble in the Brighton Park neighborhood — allegedly pointing a weapon at people on the sidewalk.
Huerta's charges, again, stem for the Brighton Park part of the crime spree. Police said he attempted to elude officers.
Huerta previously spent six years in the lock-up for aggravated battery with a firearm.
All the defendants were set to appear early Thursday afternoon in First Appearance Court at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse.
