The Yucca Valley man accused of shooting at Sheriff’s deputies during a pursuit in October withdrew his guilty plea in a Joshua Tree courtroom Wednesday morning. After receiving the results of a competency evaluation, Judge Rodney Cortez ruled that Roger Tindell, 37, was competent to stand trial. Cortez set Tindell’s next court appearance for January 9, with a preliminary hearing set for January 10. Roger Tindell is accused of bludgeoning two people to death in their home in Henderson, Nevada October 12. On October 17, he showed up at the 7400 block of Elk Trail in Yucca Valley and shot Jonathan Lakes in the head, before fleeing westbound on the highway with his girlfriend. Deputies caught up to Tindell and during the pursuit on Highway 62 to Morongo Valley, Tindell recorded and posted a live video on Facebook. The video shows Tindell stopping the car and firing on deputies pursuing him. The chase ended when Tindell crashed into a Sheriff’s patrol car and Tindell was shot in the arm during an exchange of gunfire. Tindell was not wearing a cast on his injured arm in court Wednesday.
