Three arrested in alleged attack on employees at Yucca Valley restaurant

Three people, including one minor, have been arrested on suspicion of attacking employees at the Yucca Valley Sonic.

On September 14 at approximately 9:50 p.m., San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report that customers had assaulted employees at Sonic Drive-In, located at 58145 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley. Law enforcement says that after an initial interaction at the establishment’s drive-thru, three suspects entered the Sonic and proceeded to physically attack three employees before fleeing in their vehicle. Deputies say that the three suspects simultaneously assaulted one female victim and stole her cell phone. According to law enforcement, one male victim sustained minor injuries, and a second male victim sustained serious injuries, which required medical attention at a local hospital.

Video of the attack circulated on social media, though no arrests were immediately made as part of the investigation.

Deputies say that they utilized Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology and databases to aid their investigation and identify the three suspects. On Tuesday (September 22), at approximately 6 p.m., San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputies served a search warrant at a residence in the 4800 Block of Avenue La Espana Daga in Joshua Tree. Deputies say that Dejaa Davis, 29, a resident of Joshua Tree, and Lakisha Towner, 45, a resident of Desert Hot Springs, were located and taken into custody for investigation into robbery. According to law enforcement, investigators also identified the third suspect as a 17-year-old male juvenile, who was also taken into custody.

According to San Bernardino County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Douglas Poston, a felony complaint was filed yesterday charging Dejaa Davis and Lakisha Towner with second-degree robbery, battery with serious bodily injury, assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, and aggravated battery causing serious bodily injury; if convicted, each could face up to seven years in state prison. 

The 17-year-old juvenile was charged with aggravated battery causing serious bodily injury and was booked at the San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall.