CHICAGO, IL – July 2, 2026 (STL.News) — Three men with extensive criminal histories are facing multiple felony charges—including a hate crime—following a violent, racially motivated attack on a CBS News Chicago television crew on Monday afternoon.
The incident, which unfolded near the Adler Planetarium on Chicago’s lakefront, sparked a multi-neighborhood crime spree that culminated in a high-speed police pursuit and a crash with a squad car on the city’s Southwest Side.
All three defendants are scheduled to appear Thursday afternoon, July 2, 2026, for a detention hearing in First Appearance Court at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse.
The Incident at Solidarity Drive
On Monday, June 29, 2026, just before 4:30 p.m., a CBS News Chicago reporter and photojournalist were setting up electronic equipment for a scheduled live broadcast on the 900 block of East Solidarity Drive.
According to Chicago Police Department reports and multiple eyewitness accounts, a white tow truck pulled up and parked directly in front of the news van. Three men exited the vehicle and acted aggressively. One of the suspects, accompanied by a German Shepherd, began shouting racial slurs directly at the photojournalist, who is Black.
The attacker ordered the dog to attack the news crew. However, the animal did not comply with the command.
A physical altercation ensued when the photographer attempted to defend the crew using a folding stool, striking one of the attackers in the head. Bystanders noted the suspect appeared completely unfazed by the impact. Two of the men then began vandalizing the news equipment, shattering the front windshield of the broadcast van with a heavy traffic cone and throwing an expensive field camera onto the concrete pavement. The equipment damage is estimated to be between $10,000 and $100,000.
While the news crew escaped physical injury, the suspects fled the scene in the tow truck.
Timeline of the Multi-Neighborhood Crime Spree
Investigative timelines compiled by law enforcement track the suspects across multiple Chicago neighborhoods before and after the lakefront assault:
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Monday Afternoon (Liquor Purchase): Suspects Jon Twist, Rafael Salinas, and William Huerta stop at Fuller Park Beverage, located at 230 W. Root Street, to purchase beer.
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Before 4:00 p.m. (Initial Altercation): The trio traveling in the white tow truck drives near Daley Park at 31st Street and Western Avenue, where they actively confront and antagonize a civilian.
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4:25 p.m. (Assault on News Crew): The suspects arrive at Solidarity Drive near the Adler Planetarium, hurling racial epithets, ordering a dog to attack, and destroying CBS broadcast property.
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4:45 p.m. (Brighton Park Confrontation): The suspects flee southwest to the Brighton Park neighborhood. Witnesses report the men pointing a firearm at pedestrians on the sidewalk.
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4:55 p.m. (Police Pursuit & Arrest): Chicago Police locate the tow truck. A pursuit begins and ends when the suspects crash into a CPD squad car. Officers recover a rifle from the vehicle and arrest all three men.
Suspect Profiles & Criminal Backgrounds
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office finalized a comprehensive list of charges against the trio on Wednesday evening. Court records show all three men have prior records involving violent offenses or the illicit use of commercial tow trucks.
Jon Twist (37)
Twist faces the most severe charges relating directly to the initial assault. He is charged with one felony count of a hate crime, one felony count of criminal property damage, and one misdemeanor count of resisting a peace officer.
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Criminal History: Twist previously pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping and served a prison sentence related to a “rogue towing scam” targeting vulnerable motor vehicle accident victims. He is also the subject of an active order of protection for threatening to burn a woman’s home down.
Rafael Salinas (29)
Salinas is charged with one felony count of aggravated battery to a peace officer, one felony count of criminal damage to property ($10,000–$100,000), and misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct and resisting police.
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Criminal History: At the time of Monday’s incident, Salinas was wanted on an active arrest warrant issued in May 2026 for fleeing law enforcement after a hit-and-run accident.
William Huerta (41)
Huerta’s charges stem primarily from the subsequent police pursuit and behavior in Brighton Park. He is charged with one felony count of fleeing/attempting to elude officers, two misdemeanor counts of aggravated assault of a State of Illinois employee, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident.
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Criminal History: Huerta was previously charged with attempted first-degree murder. However, that charge was later dropped; he served a six-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections for aggravated battery with a firearm.
Pretrial Detention Status
Cook County prosecutors invoked the felony hate crime charge against Twist as a primary pathway to seek mandatory pretrial detention. Under the guidelines of the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act, standard property damage and misdemeanor assault do not typically qualify an individual for detention without bail. However, a felony hate crime is classified as a detainable offense, allowing the state to request that the suspects remain in custody pending a formal trial.
The German Shepherd used during the assault reportedly ran loose during the Brighton Park arrest sequence. Animal control and local police have not confirmed whether the dog has been recovered.
To watch additional reporting on how local law enforcement tracked the suspects through Brighton Park, you can view this CBS Chicago Video Report on the Attack Charges, which provides direct visual context regarding the weapon recovered by police and updates on the charges from the courthouse.
