One of the two Californians facing battery charges in Reno in the attack of This Is Reno reporter Don Dike-Anukam was issued a new arrest warrant last week.
Joseph Salazar, 25, of Visalia, California did not show up to his court hearing in Tulare County last week prompting a bench warrant to be issued for his arrest. The new warrant is in addition to misdemeanor battery charges faced by Salazar and Toni Sisson, 20, for their alleged actions on May 30 in Reno during the riots downtown.
Salazar’s court-appointed attorney last week said Salazar’s no-show added to charges he is facing. Salazar and Sisson were scheduled to appear in court Sept. 2 on charges stemming from an alleged road rage incident in January. Sisson appeared at the Tulare County Court Wednesday but was reportedly turned away due to COVID-19 symptoms.
The District Attorney and court-appointed attorney discussed the case briefly in front of a judge.
Salazar is seen in video footage on May 30 filming just prior to sucker punching Dike-Anukam. Both are seen breaking into City Hall during the riots. No extra charges have been added.
Washoe County Commissioner Marsha Berkbigler at a recent Board of County Commissioners meeting wanted to know why the two, already facing charges in Calif., were able to come to Nevada during the rioting.
“I’m a little concerned about the fact that we can’t get these people back over here because what they did is considered a misdemeanor in the State of Nevada, and we can’t do anything about it,” she said. “That just seems an open invitation to troublemakers.”
The Reno Police Department swiftly arrested vandals, and those violating curfew orders, after the May 30 riots. Charges for Dike-Anukam’s assault were announced in August.
