OC man hospitalized after alleged argument with neighbor over Trump flag

ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. – An Orange County man was hospitalized with serious injuries after a fight with a neighbor over a Donald Trump flag.

“After he left, he didn’t care about my health at all,” John Muder said. “He left me there to die, in my opinion.”

Muder spoke exclusively with FOX 11 via Zoom from his hospital room Saturday morning. Muder said he has been in the hospital for three days with a concussion.

“I had a brain hemorrhage,” Muder said. “I just can’t believe the violence this guy was alluding to. For what? A flag? Are you kidding me?”

According to Muder, a neighbor in his Ladera Ranch community recently had a Harris Walz sign taken away. Muder believes the Harris supporter thought he had taken his sign.

“He thought it was me because I had my Trump sign,” Muder said. “Which is the furthest thing from the truth.”

Shortly afterwards, Muder said, a Trump 2024 flag above his garage disappeared.

“Whoever did it came to my house that day, put up a ladder, cut the flag and took it,” Muder said.

Then, on trash day, he said he checked his Harris neighbor's curbside trash can and saw the Trump flag stuffed inside.

“I was on the sidewalk,” Muder said. “I knew he had a Ring camera thing, so I said, 'Hey, can you stay off my property?' I left. It probably didn't take more than 10 or 15 minutes for him to come home to me screaming and screaming.

In another neighbor's surveillance video shared with FOX 11, you can hear the confrontation and the two talking about the Trump flag. Muder claims he was attacked in his garage.

“He came in and next thing he knew he started attacking me,” Muder said. “He knocked me out. I have a severe concussion to the back of my head. I think I got kicked in the face. There was a lot of blood. He basically left me there alone to survive.”

Muder was taken to a hospital where he spent three days. The police also responded to the scene.

“He could be dead now and this man didn’t care,” said Lourdes Barrueto, Muder’s wife. “All because we have a Trump flag.”

A spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff's Department confirmed to FOX 11 that they responded to a home in Ladera Ranch this week for a fight. A man was arrested for assault and battery.

The arrested man is believed to have been released from prison on bail. FOX 11 knocked on her door Saturday but there was no answer.

“I would tell him I’m sorry for him,” Muder said. “If you’re willing to hurt someone for political reasons, you need serious help.”