Felony Assault Charges Filed Against Brian Hawkins

Hawkins to appear in court July 6 on felony assault charges

SAN JACINTO — San Jacinto City Councilmember and former candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, Brian Eugene Hawkins, 44, was arrested Sunday on suspicion of felony assault charges.

Note: This story has been updated since it was first published. The latest version from Thursday evening is available here.

The felony assault charges include two for assault on a person with the intention of doing great bodily injury, according to the booking information. He is also charged with two felony counts of corporal punishment on a child. Hawkins stands 6-feet-2-inches and weighs 280 pounds.

At 12:39 p.m. on Sunday, the Sheriff’s dispatch center received a call of a domestic incident at a residence in the 400 block of Mistletoe Avenue, in San Jacinto. The caller reported that Hawkins, of San Jacinto, committed an assault on two children at the location, Sgt. Anthony Pelato stated in a news release.

Investigators from the Hemet-San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station and Special Victims Unit assumed the investigation. Hawkins was arrested was arrested at 4:51 p.m. Sunday, July 2 at Hibiscus Lane in Lake Elsinore. San Jacinto Police made the arrest and booked at the Cois Byrd Detention Center, Pelato stated.

Investigators from the Hemet-San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station and Special Victims Unit assumed the investigation.

Bail was set at $200,000. As of Monday afternoon, he remained in custody, according to authorities.

The Riverside County Sheriff and the Riverside County District Attorney notified the city of San Jacinto of his arrest. The city of San Jacinto contracts with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for police services. 

Due to an ongoing criminal investigation, the City of San Jacinto said it is unable to comment.

However, the city takes the allegations against Hawkins seriously, the city said in a statement. The city has agreed to assist in the investigation should it be needed, according to the statement.

He is scheduled to make his first court appearance at 8 a.m. on July 6.

Hawkins, a Republican-turned-Democrat was first elected to the City Council in 202o. As a Republican, he challenged Democratic Incumbent Rep. Raul Ruiz in 2022 in the 25th Congressional District and lost.

Now that he’s switched his party affiliation to Democrat, he has announced plans to run for California’s 41st Congressional District. He is challenging one of the country’s longest-tenured Republican congressmen, U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert, for California’s 41st Congressional District.

According to the Washington Times, Hawkins came up the hard way. He grew up in a poor family that survived on government assistance. He spent a total of 10 years in prison for crimes when he was younger, including charges involving illegal gun possession and wrecking and then failing to return a rental car.

No further details would be released Monday, authorities said. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call Lead Investigator Ruben Martinez at the Hemet Sheriff’s Station by calling (951) 791-3400.