Felon accused of vandalizing cars and mailboxes adds assault to arrest report

After a convicted felon suspected of vandalizing cars and mailboxes was arrested, an additional victim came forward to accuse him of assault.

On Monday (September 21) at around 3:28 a.m., San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a disturbance in the 7100 block of Barberry Avenue in Yucca Valley. Deputies say they received reports of a suspect vandalizing vehicles and mailboxes in the area. Deputies arrived and identified the suspect as Austen Burke, 29, a convicted felon on probation. Deputies said that some owners of vandalized vehicles could not be located and other owners did not want to press charges. Deputies say that Burke was drunk and found to be in violation of his probation terms. Burke was taken into custody at the scene.

After Burke was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail, an additional victim contacted the Sheriff’s Department. The victim said that at 10:45 p.m. on the previous Sunday, hours before his arrest, Burke threatened to shoot the victim and attempted to run them over with a vehicle. The victim had minor injuries. No firearm was located. Deputies added additional charges of assault to Burke’s arrest report. 

Austen Burke was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and violating the terms of his probation. He is being held at the West Valley Detention Center without bail.