On May 1, 2007 Robin Hvidston and Raymond Herrera, the National Rally Spokesman for the Minutemen, were assaulted by day laborer Alfredo Pacheco in Rancho Cucamonga.

After a flag rally in Claremont that day, members of the Minutemen headed to Rancho Cucamonga to photograph the day labor site and code violations in the area. Soon after they arrived though they were greated by a violent Alfredo Pacheco who decided to put an end to their media coverage on a public street corner.

Apparently Alfredo Pacheco knows who Raymond Herrera is.

Here is the story of the attack from members of the Minuteman Project.

As soon as they arrived on the public sidewalk ... [Pacheco] approached the Minutemen. He said, "Go to your side of the street." He was standing among about 30 day laborers. Then, he said to Herrera, "I know who you are." Raymond Herrera is the MMP National Rally Spokesman. And a combat war veteran

Robin Hvidston took his photo - as she snapped the photo, he reached for her camera. His hand went across the right side of her face as he tried to grab the camera, which she held behind her back.

He had alcohol on his breath.

Hvidston yelled, "Call 911." At this point the man walked back toward the day laborers.

Herrera was speaking with the 911 operator and the man began to flip them off.

He held the paper in front of his face as he approached - the second time

Herrera was speaking with the 911 operator, on his cell phone. As Herrera turned away to check on Hvidston, the assailant struck Herrera directly on the left temple, shattering his $180.00 cell phone. Herrera was momentarily incapacitated but remained standing.

Then the assailant wrestled Hvidston to the ground, as he battled her for the camera - full weight on top of her back (Hvidston was in jeans yet her knees were scraped up from the force of the assault on asphalt).

At this point, Herrera pulled the assailant off of Hvidston and shoved the assailant to the side.

Herrera turned his attention on Hvidston, at which time, the assailant delivered five "death blows" to Herrera's temple and forehead, from the blind side. Herrera was "dazed" but remained on his feet.

Hvidston yelled for help to passing cars, to no avail. Then ran into the nearby liquor store - telling the man behind the counter to dial 911, and she said, "There is an assault in your parking lot." He dialed 911.

Several patrol cars arrived upon the scene - both Upland and Rancho Cucamonga police officers.

Upland Police and Rancho Cucamonga Police shut down the street and conducted a man hunt in an attempt to find the assailant but were unable to find him.

Herrera and Hvidston were examined at the San Antonio Community Hospital Emergency Room.

Herrera's diagnosis: Head Injury, Cervical Strain, Concussion

Hvidston's diagnosis: Neck and lower back strain

Several days later on May 6, 2007 Herrera was driving past the day labor site after reading about a day laborer who had been struck and killed by a driver the day before after wandering into the street.

Herrera spotted Pacheco, who had changed his appearance, among the day laborers. Herrera saw a deputy parked in the parking lot and approached him to report Pacheco. Here is the story of the reluctance of law enforcement to apprehend an assault suspect because he's with illegal aliens at a day labor site and "aren't bothering anybody".

Herrera approached the stationed deputy and told him that the assailant was on the sidewalk. Herrera had to persuade the officer to get out of his vehicle as the officer did not want to take action. "Ah, they aren't bothering anybody," the deputy told Herrera.

Herrera finally declared, "I will make a citizen's arrest then!" The officer reluctantly got out of his vehicle.

The deputy questioned the assailant - who became sassy - and the deputy called for backup.

It turns out that Pacheco is not just a criminal in the assault on Herrera and Hvidston, but was a felon who had been let out of jail on parole after serving 2 1/2 years of a 5 year sentence for assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily harm.

The three officers searching the assailant ... had been called on scene by the deputy. They ran the check on the assailant and discovered he was on parole from state prison for assault with a deadly weapon. He was taken into custody. Herrera visited the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department four days after the apprehension, on May 10, 2007.

He requested a police report. The report stated, after two days, the assailant had been released from jail.

Pacheco is released from jail after 2 days for assaulting two people on a street corner after being paroled for a previous assault with a deadly weapon! The Rancho Cucamonga Police Department and justice system should be ashamed of themselves. There is simply no justice in this and the chance of Pacheco being a repeat offender, once again, is high. I am outraged as I'm sure you are, but imagine the outrage of Herrera and Hvidston!

There is justice however. Herrera stuck with this case and would not let the Rancho Cucamonga "justice system" forget about the assault.

For 6 months Herrera contacted the police department and District Attorney's office. He made sure the police report included a copy of the medical report of their injuries. Herrera also kept on them by speaking out at city council meetings about the assault. The District Attorney and police department played pass the buck, telling Herrera each time he contacted them that they were waiting for information from the other office.

Finally, in October, 2007 a new police chief, Joe Cusimano, was appointed for Rancho Cucamonga and on November 8, 2007 Herrera received word that a new detective was assigned his case. After meeting with the new detective, Herrera found out that Alfredo Pacheco's Parole Officer had been told about the assault and they had revoked Pacheco's parole and sent him back to prison to finish his 5 year sentence.

New charges have been filed against Pacheco for the assaults against Herrera and Hvidston.

They include:

• Felony assault with intent to commit great bodily injury
• Hate crime for an attack on American citizens
• Strong armed robbery for the attempt to steal the camera
• and terrorist threats

We hope this animal gets the book thrown at him.

Tipped by: Robin of Gilchrist's Minuteman Project

For more on Raymond Herrera see this piece