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Man Jailed In San Francisco Assault On Mixed-Race Couple

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS / AP) -- A man is being held on $500,000 bail after pleading not guilty to hate crime charges in an attack on a mixed-race couple near a farmer's market at San Francisco's Civic Center.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that 48-year-old Hosea Matavao entered pleas Friday on three counts of assault, one count of endangering a child and one count of battery. Four of those charges include hate crime allegations.

Authorities say the couple was walking with their 3-year-old and 21-month-year-old sons on Wednesday afternoon when Matavao made a comment about their sons' race.

Matavao then allegedly punched the woman, who is black, when she responded to the comment and struck her husband, who is white, when he rushed to her aide. Authorities say he also kicked the 3-year-old's stroller and punched a witness.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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