5 Suspects In Palm Springs Brawl Plead Not Guilty To Battery Charges

INDIO, CA — Charges were filed Wednesday against five of eight suspects identified by police in connection with a physical altercation in Palm Springs.

Three 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 arraignment Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to case records.

The five defendants are due back in court for a felony settlement conference on Oct. 11.

Members of the Palm Springs Police Department received 911 calls at about 2:10 p.m. Saturday 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 20-year-old Hemet resident Jonah Wilkerson were arrested.

Wilkerson was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio but later released on $30,000 bail, 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.

Wilkerson was scheduled to return to court at the Larson Justice Center in Indio on Dec. 23. Police said two juveniles were also allegedly involved in the altercation and could also face charges.

Officers said one of the vehicles that was allegedly involved in the Saturday 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, 18-year-old San Jacinto resident Jayden Butler was taken into custody for allegedly possessing a loaded firearm, according to police. Butler was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio on $10,000 bail and subsequently released. He is also scheduled to appear in court Dec. 23.

—City News Service