Yesterday, on their way back from a post op surgery appointment for Jeremy Swartz, Fortuna resident and former Miranda firefighter, a man assaulted first Swartz and then his wife, Melissa, in front of their two daughters.

Swartz had just had a torn disk repaired and was still very weak. As they traveled north the Fortuna family decided to stop at Lake Mendocino and let the girls, ages ten and four, cool off by splashing around.

When they arrived at the lake, Swartz said they saw Safeway bag hanging near a trashcan. Assuming it had been abandoned, Swartz said he looked in and saw that there was a container of sun protection. He said he opened the container and determined it was really sun protection. He covered his kids and wife with the lotion.

At that moment a shirtless white man between 6 foot and 6’2″ wearing nothing but black and blue checked board shorts (similar to these) advanced on the family. “He came straight at me,” Swartz said.

“WTF, are you going through my stuff,” he asked.

Swartz said he protested that he thought the stuff was trash. Without warning, the man punched him.

Swartz said in his weakened state he was knocked to the ground instantly and before he could react his wife jumped in front of him. “She’s my badass shield,” he said. The man then struck her. When he was going after Swartz on the ground once more, she again stood between them.

Then, Swartz said, “He punched her in the face…He sent her tumbling…She bounced right back up like she was on rubber bands.” Again she stood between her downed husband and the man who had hit her. This time, Swartz said, the man stared at her for a moment and then raced off up the hill to his vehicle and took off.

Bystanders called 911. Deputy CJ Denton from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department responded. He tried to locate the man who took off in a silvery gold Mitsubishi 4 door sedan. But so far the BOLO hasn’t resulted in any leads.

To Swartz, his wife, who he has been with for 13 years, is his hero. “She’s a badass!” he said. “She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Sgt. Scott Poma of the Mendocino Sheriff’s Department said that the man in the boardshorts is wanted for assault.

If you have any information, you can call law enforcement at (707) 463-4411.