Hate crime suspect’s pretrial set for April 6

A Costa Mesa man who pleaded not guilty Monday to hate-crime charges is due back in court next week.

Chad Martin Jurjaks, 30, is scheduled to appear at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach on April 6 for a pretrial hearing. He pleaded not guilty Monday to two felony counts of hate crime battery causing injury related to a March 15 attack outside a 7-Eleven in Costa Mesa.

Authorities said an intoxicated Jurjaks was outside the store when a 42-year-old Mexican man, his 26-year-old nephew and other relatives arrived. Jurjaks shouted “F--- Mexicans!” before punching the Hispanic men in the head. The family called police and Jurjaks was arrested.

He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and faces up to seven years and four months in prison if convicted.

—Joseph Serna