"An investigative assignment turned dangerous for one news reporter in La Jolla, California.

Journalist John Mattes, of television station XETV in La Jolla, was continuing work on an investigative piece about a man involved in consumer fraud and deception.

Mattes and his cameraman were about to interview one of the man's alleged victims when the man's wife arrived and began swearing at Mattes and hitting him and his camera man with her water bottle.

As she walked away, her husband, the subject of the reports, arrived and walked toward Mattes and leapt at him. He appeared to be trying to dig his eyes out.

Mattes' face was a bloody mess by the time police arrived. He was taken to a hospital, treated and released.

The man who attacked him was already in trouble with the law and now faces assault charges."