Man Arrested for Hate Crime at Jollyman Park

Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies arrested a 63-year-old man after an April incident at Jollyman Park in Cupertino that authorities are investigating as a hate crime. A joint statement from the Sheriff’s Office and the City of Cupertino said the man was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges including a hate crime and assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities said the alleged victim, a 38-year-old resident, was at the park with his son when the confrontation began. No injuries were reported. ### When did the confrontation at Jollyman Park happen? April 23, 2026, is the date Cupertino and sheriff’s officials gave in the headline and introductory portion of their joint statement about the case. The same statement said the victim was at the park with his son when a 63-year-old man confronted him. (cupertino.gov) The body of the joint statement says the confrontation occurred “on April 22,” creating a date discrepancy within the same official release. Bay Area news reports citing the Sheriff’s Office described the incident as happening on April 23. ### What do investigators say the suspect did? (cupertino.gov) A 38-year-old resident told investigators the older man made racial slurs, pushed him and later threw a beer bottle in his direction, according to the joint statement from Cupertino and the Sheriff’s Office. The statement said the resident’s son was present during the encounter at the park. (cupertino.gov) No injuries were reported, authorities said. The charges listed at booking include a hate crime allegation and assault with a deadly weapon. ### How did the arrest happen? Detectives “immediately began an investigation,” the joint statement said, and obtained an arrest warrant earlier that week. (cupertino.gov) Deputies then found the suspect in Cupertino and arrested him the same day, according to the statement. May 8, 2026, was the date on the joint statement announcing the arrest and the city’s update on the investigation. (cupertino.gov) SFGATE, citing police and sheriff’s deputies, reported the arrest in a Bay City News dispatch published several days later. ### Why has the suspect not been publicly named? (cupertino.gov) The joint statement released by Cupertino and the Sheriff’s Office did not identify the 63-year-old suspect by name. The Bay City News report carried by SFGATE also said the man was not named. Santa Clara County court records are available through the county’s online case portal, and criminal matters from Cupertino are handled at the Palo Alto Courthouse, according to the Superior Court website. (cupertino.gov) ### What have city and sheriff’s officials said publicly? Cupertino and the Sheriff’s Office said in the May 8 statement that hate crimes “have no place in Cupertino” and that the agencies remain committed to protecting residents’ safety and dignity. (cupertino.gov) The statement also said the Sheriff’s Office takes violent crimes and hate crimes “extremely seriously.” (portal.scscourt.org) The city posted the statement on its website under media releases and said it was issued jointly with the Sheriff’s Office. ### What comes next in the case? West Valley Detectives are seeking additional information from the public and asked anyone who feels threatened, believes they were targeted, or witnessed suspicious or criminal activity to report it immediately. (cupertino.gov) The contact number listed in the joint statement is 408-868-6600. (cupertino.gov) Santa Clara County Superior Court says criminal case information can be searched online when available, and Cupertino criminal matters are filed through the Palo Alto Courthouse. Those records are the next public milestone likely to show whether prosecutors file formal charges and set a court date. (santaclara.courts.ca.gov) (cupertino.gov)