Suspect in reported Palm Springs altercation to be arraigned

Charges are expected to be filed today against one of eight suspects police connected to a physical altercation in Palm Springs, after another person arrested in a vehicle that was allegedly involved in the fight pleaded not guilty to multiple counts.   

Hemet resident Jonah Wilkerson, 20, is expected to enter pleas to two felony charges of battery causing serious bodily injury and one felony count of receiving stolen property during an arraignment Monday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to case records.

Jayden Butler of San Jacinto entered not guilty pleas to felony counts of carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm without being its registered owner and manufacturing, importing, selling or possessing a large-capacity magazine, according to case records. Butler, who was 18 at the time of his arrest, has an upcoming mandatory settlement conference on Feb. 26.

Three other Hemet residents -- 18-year-old Erik Carranza, 20-year-old Amari Haynes and 22-year-old Jabarrielijah Elliott -- as well as 18-year-old San Jacinto resident Kimora Browne and 19-year-old Bermuda Dunes resident Teiyanie Burns each pleaded not guilty to two counts of battery causing serious bodily injury at an October arraignment, according to case records.   

Those five defendants are also due back in court Monday for a felony settlement conference.

Members of the Palm Springs Police Department received 911 calls on Sept. 28 at 2:10 p.m. about a fight in the 5600 block of East Ramon Road, according to a department statement. Multiple injuries were reported.   

Police said witnesses reported seeing people from two vehicles involved in the fight.

People in the vehicles were seen by witnesses assaulting various victims, knocking them unconscious and taking their property, police said. Officers at the scene contacted two people who they said sustained moderate head injuries, one of whom was losing consciousness, and both were taken to a hospital.

The occupants of both vehicles were located and booked. According to authorities, Carranza, Haynes, Elliott, Browne, Burns and Wilkerson were arrested.

Wilkerson was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio but released on $30,000 bail later that day, according to inmate records.   

Haynes, Carranza and Elliott were booked into the same facility on $150,000 bail each, while Browne and Burns were booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on the same amount, inmate records indicated, with all being released on Oct. 11.

According to officers, one of the vehicles that was allegedly involved in the fight, a black Infiniti, had been pulled over in the 1700 block of East Vista Chino Road at approximately 8:15 p.m. the night before. During that stop, Butler was taken into custody for allegedly possessing a loaded firearm, according to police. He was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio on $10,000 bail and subsequently released.   

Police said two juveniles were also allegedly involved in the altercation and could also face charges.