JOSHUA TREE MAN SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR 2015 SHOOTING

A 23-year-old Joshua Tree man who pleaded guilty last month to shooting two people in Yucca Valley in 2015 was sentenced Wednesday to more than 24 years in state prison. On April 15, 2015, Joseph Rojas, went to a home in the 55600 block of Pueblo Trail where he started arguing with one of the residents, Terry Hill. Rojas pulled out a gun and shot Hill, grazing his head about 9:20 a.m. As Rojas fled the property, he shot at Elaina Bixon, hitting her in the lower leg. Rojas then drove off in his white Mitsubishi. About 12 hours later, at 9:30 p.m., deputies received a call of a crash at Warren Vista and Yucca Trail in which one of the vehicles matched the description of Rojas’ car. Witnesses reported the driver of the Mitsubishi had a gun and Rojas was arrested for the attempted murders of Hill and Bixon. On October 5, Joseph Rojas pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a firearm on a person, using a firearm and causing gross bodily injury, and two counts of shooting at an inhabited building or vehicle. Judge Rodney Cortez sentenced Joseph Rojas to 24 years, 8 months in the state prison at Chino, with credit for time served of almost 3 years.