John Glenn Gets Slugged (2 images)

On October 25, 1989 Senator John Glenn, D-Ohio was taping a television interview following a tree-planting ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution. Suddenly, a well-dressed man walked up and punched the Senator square on the jaw. The assailant, Michael John Breen, 31, was promptly arrested after being detained by a stunned Glenn. Breen later told authorities that in recent months he had dreams revealing future events, and that he only hit Glenn to gain attention for his revelations. Among these revelations was a vision of a massive earthquake in California which the government knew about but refused to warn residents of.

An affidavit filed in U.S. District Court said Breen told officials that he was "guided" by God to try to alert Vice President Quayle about the coming events during a visit to the Capitol.

According to police reports, Mr. Breen was charged with assaulting a member of Congress, a felony, and was held for psychiatric evaluation. His lawyer, Barry Stiller, declined to discuss the case but described his client as ''just a very nice young man who I think is a little confused.''

Glenn’s only response, “I haven't been hit like that in 30 years.”