United States Army veteran and Democratic West Virginia State Senate Candidate, Richard Ojeda was beaten at a cookout Sunday, just two days before his primary.
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During a cookout 60 miles south of Charleston, West Virginia, a friend aimed to fundraise money for Ojeda’s campaign when Jonathan Porter, 41, asked Ojeda if he could have bumper stickers for his car.
Porter lured Ojeda to his truck and struck him with brass knuckles while Ojeda was bending down to place them on Porter’s truck.
In an interview with NBC News while in his hospital bed, Ojeda said “that’s all I remember,” “When I woke up, my head was on a tree stump covered in blood. Everyone was looking at me.” Ojeda said he has known Porter since they were children.
Ojeda was dealt with eight bone fractures and three lacerations on his face as a resut of the brutal attack. Ojeda believes that the attack was premeditated and politically motivated.
After using the brass knuckles on Ojeda, Porter got in his truck and reportedly tried to run him over with his car until witnesses intervened and got in his way.
Porter then sped away in his truck and ran over two ATVs that were used by witnesses to block his escape route. Porter headed to the mountains and hid out for six hours until he called police and turned himself in.
State Trooper Zachary Holden told NBC News that Porter was being held on suspicion of malicious assault, malicious attempted assault and felony destruction of property.
Authorities have found no evidence of the weapon and Porter denies having used them in his attack.
Richard Ojeda, 45, enlisted in the Army in 1989 and eventually earned the rank of Major. He retired from the United States Army in 2013.
Do you think Porter was politically motivated to attack Richard Ojeda? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
