Local Congressional candidate Brian Hawkins arrested on suspicion of child assault
San Jacinto Councilmember, and local Congressional candidate, Brian Hawkins was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a child over the weekend in Lake Elsinore.
The city of San Jacinto confirmed Hawkins' arrest in a news release on Monday.
"The Riverside County Sherriff’s Department and Riverside County District Attorney’s Office notified the City of San Jacinto of the arrest of City Councilmember Brian Hawkins," reads the city's news release.
City officials said it is unable to provide further details on Hawkins' arrest as it is still an ongoing investigation, however, the city has agreed to assist on the investigation should it be requested.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department confirmed that deputies responded to a domestic incident at a San Jacinto residence at around 12:40 p.m. on Sunday. The caller reported that Hawkins committed an assault on two children at the location.
The agency said investigators from the Hemet-San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station and Special Victims Unit assumed the investigation. The investigation remains 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.
According to county jail records, Hawkins was arrested at around 4:51 p.m. in Lake Elsinore. He faces four felony charges, including two counts of assault on a person with great bodily injury and two counts of corporal punishment on a child.
The Riverside County District Attorney's office confirmed charges have not been officially filed as of Monday, however, there should be a filing decision by Thursday morning.
Hawkins remains in custody at the Robert Presley Detention Center on $200,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.
Hawkins was elected to the San Jacinto City Council in Nov. 2020, his term expires in Dec. 2024 In addition to his position as councilmember of San Jacinto, Hawkins serves as the senior pastor at Divine Appointment Worship Center in San Jacinto, according to his Facebook page.
In 2022, Hawkins ran against Democrat Rep. Raul Ruiz for the 25th Congressional seat, which covers much of the Coachella Valley. Ruiz won the election with 56% of the vote.
In May, Hawkins announced his intention to run for Congress in 2024, this time in the 41st Congressional District, which is currently held by Republican Rep. Ken Calvert.
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