2 Hemet men arrested in hate crime against Asian couple at Ontario Mills mall - San Bernardino County 

By Edward Era Barbacena

Two Hemet men suspected of a hate crime were arrested after assaulting an Asian couple at the Ontario Mills mall on Sunday, April 4, the Ontario Police Department said.

Ontario Mills shopping mall

Tuvorius Mencer, 34, was arrested Sunday at the mall at 1 Mills Circle, on suspicion of felony assault as well as assault on a peace officer, according to Lt. Bill Russell. On Tuesday, April 6, Terrell Plaines, 31, was arrested at his residence in the 1500 block of Calathea Road in Hemet on suspicion of felony assault, police said.

Proposed charges for a civil rights violation against both men also were submitted to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office, he said.

“Our officers on scene felt they had enough evidence to have those (hate crime) charges considered,” Russell said.

He declined to discuss what the suspects may have said or any other evidence.

On Sunday, at about 5:15 p.m., Mencer and Plaines were standing in line at a Levi’s Outlet store behind the Asian couple when an argument about social distancing arose. Mencer and the other man then started punching the couple, causing visible injuries, and assaulted two other victims who attempted to intervene, police said.

The two men then fled; however, Mencer was apprehended by an Ontario police officer inside the mall.