SANTA ANA, Calif. – A Seal Beach man was charged today with hate crimes for threatening and spitting on a same-sex couple.

Co-defendant Wade James Rutledge, 27, Seal Beach, was charged on Dec. 5, 2017, with one felony count each of dissuading a witness by force or threat and hate crime assault causing violent injury, with sentencing enhancements for hate crimes. He faces a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Dec. 14, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-1, West Justice Center, Westminster.

Circumstances of the Case

• On Nov. 3, 2017, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Wickwire and Rutledge are accused of approaching John Doe 1 and his boyfriend John Doe 2 in a parking lot near 10th Street and Ocean Avenue in Seal Beach.
• Wickwire, Rutledge, and their associates are accused of making derogatory remarks about the couple's same-sex relationship and threatening them with violence if they did not leave.
• Wickwire is accused of spitting on one of the victims.
• John Doe 1 called 911 and Rutledge is accused of grabbing the victim's arm, forcing the phone out of his hand, disconnecting the 911 call, and walking back to his friends.
• Rutledge is accused of returning the phone but telling John Doe 1 to leave and not call the police.
• As the victims entered their car to leave, Rutledge is accused of shoving John Doe 2 into the passenger seat and slamming the door on the victim's arm while yelling at them to hurry and leave the area.
• Seal Beach Police Department (SBPD) investigated this case and identified Rutledge, who was located and arrested in a Seal Beach parking lot on Dec. 3, 2017.
• SBPD identified Wickwire through further investigation and arrested the defendant on Dec. 10, 2017, in Seal Beach.

Prosecutor: Senior Deputy District Attorney Paul Chrisopoulos, Special Prosecutions Unit

Co-defendant charged last week for taking the victims' phone away as they called 911

Orange County District Attorney / Case # 17WF2736 / December 12, 2017