Man arraigned on hate-crime charges

COSTA MESA — A white man accused of yelling racial remarks while intoxicated and then punching two Hispanic men was scheduled to be arraigned Monday on hate-crime charges.

The defendant, Chad Martin Jurjaks, 30, of Costa Mesa, is being charged with two felony counts of hate crime battery and faces a maximum sentence of seven years and four months in state prison.

Jurjaks allegedly yelled, “F--- Mexicans!” at a Hispanic man, his wife, cousin and nephew as they entered a 7-Eleven on March 5.

He then punched the 42-year-old man and his 26-year-old nephew one time each in the head. The other family members were unharmed.

Jurjaks was arrested that day by Costa Mesa police near the 7-Eleven.

Jurjaks posted the $500 bail on March 6 and was released.

The district attorney’s office filed the felony charges March 24 and put a warrant out for his arrest. The next day, Costa Mesa police brought Jurjaks into custody at the Central Jail in Santa Ana. His bail is now set at $200,000.

Jurjaks has previously been convicted of criminal threats in 2005 and of public intoxication in January of this year.

He also has a case open from October 2010 regarding charges of public intoxication, trespassing and battery of peace officer/emergency personnel.