Two Sonic employees injured in Yucca Valley assault, alleged DHS student involved

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an assault at a Sonic restaurant in Yucca Valley that left two employees injured.

Deputies were called to the restaurant in the 58100 block of Twentynine Palms Highway around 9:49 p.m. Monday, September 14.

According to the sheriff’s department, three people — described as two adult women and one adult man — were in the drive-thru and became upset with the service.

Investigators say someone in the group threw a bottle through a restaurant window. An employee then went outside and took a photo of the vehicle’s license plate.

Deputies say the three people then got out of the vehicle, entered the restaurant and assaulted several employees. Two employees were injured, according to the sheriff’s department. The suspects left the area before deputies arrived.

The attack was captured on video, which is now circulating on social media. News Channel 3 is not showing the video because no one has been charged in connection with the incident.

The family of one of the employees spoke with News Channel 3 about what happened.

Her sister, Aurora Goodson, said she was shaken when she learned her sister had been assaulted.

“She sounds shaken which to me is immediately alarming because she’s just so strong and nothing really gets to her, nothing really shakes her like that," Aurora said.

Goodson said her sister told her that her phone had been stolen and that she had been assaulted, but stayed behind to help her coworkers before going to the hospital because she believed the other employees needed more immediate attention.

Aurora’s mother, Jennifer, lives in Louisiana and said watching the video of the attack was frightening.

“It’s just my daughter in a corner with three people going after her. I didn’t understand any of it,” Jennifer said.

Social media posts also allege that the people involved were a family, including a juvenile who attends Desert Hot Springs High School.

News Channel 3 has also learned a Desert Hot Springs student athlete was absent from a recent football game. The student’s current status on the team is unclear.

The sheriff’s department says it is still working to determine whether the juvenile mentioned in the social media posts is connected to the assault.

The family says the employee is still in pain and they are concerned about what it will be like for her to return to work.

“I can’t imagine what going back to work is going to be like for her. Every time the door opens, are they going to jump?” Jennifer said.

Palm Springs Unified School District said it is aware of social media posts about the incident.

In a message to families, the district said it is cooperating with law enforcement and that any appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

The sheriff’s investigation remains ongoing.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.