2 charged for vandalizing UCLA Bruin bear statue

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Two men have been charged, accused of causing thousands of dollars of damage to UCLA's famed Bruin Bear.

The statue was vandalized during "rivalry week" ahead of the UCLA-USC football game in November. Louie Raider Torres, 19, of Studio City, and Willie Saul Johnson, 18, of Van Nuys, are accused of painting the bear with red and yellow paint, the colors of USC. Neither of the suspects is affiliated with USC.

Both men pleaded not guilty Thursday on a felony count of vandalism and face a maximum of three years in jail.