A man who allegedly sucker punched Marysville’s Mayor Chris Branscum and City Councilmember Dom Belza is due back in court on Sept. 6 after pleading not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of battery.
The incident occurred on August 22 as Mayor Branscum, Councilmember Belza, and Police Chris Sachs were standing at the corner of Fifth and D streets in downtown Marysville. The trio was awaiting a meeting with Rep. Doug La Malfa (R-Richvale) at a hotel.
Belza says a man approached and suddenly punched Branscum in the back.
"All of a sudden, I thought I got hit by a car," Branscum said.
Belza began running after the suspect, who then struck him too. The councilman was able to tackle the man to the ground.
Police arrived and arrested an unhoused individual named Derek Don Hopkins, 36. He was arraigned the next day in Yuba County Superior Court.
The Marysville leaders say the assault underscores their support for Proposition 36. The initiative would reform decade-old Proposition 47, which downgraded a number of felonies — including drug crimes — to misdemeanors.
“If we had the right laws in place that would encourage people to go into rehab, get cleaned up. Otherwise, they experience severe consequences like real jail time, real prison time," said Belza.
Read more at CBS News.