Sheriff’s Deputies evacuated the Yucca Valley Applebee’s yesterday, choosing to take caution in what could have been a potentially dangerous situation. Witnesses said about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, a man, described by restaurant employees as a transient, came into the lobby of the restaurant with two wheeled suitcases. The man pushed them into the lobby and left the business quickly in an unknown direction. Staff members notified authorities about the suspicious items just after 2 p.m. when he didn’t come back, and responding deputies evacuated the restaurant of about 30 customers and staff. The Sheriff’s bomb and arson squad were called in, and after thorough investigation, it was determined the abandoned suitcases contained shoes and tools and posed no danger. They were disposed of and Applebee’s was reopened with employees and customers were allowed back in at about 3:45.
