Full Notification

On 3-19-16 at approximately 2:26 AM, PSPD officers responded to the Pilot Travel Center located at 6605 N. Indian Canyon Drive in reference to fight involving several individuals and reports of at least one person who had been stabbed.

PSPD Patrol officers arrived on scene a short time later and discovered one victim of a stabbing lying inside the Pilot Travel Center on the floor who was being rendered aid by friends.

Officers also learned that the victims were at the location to get gas and as they began to walk away from their vehicle toward the store, they were suddenly approached by a group of 3-4 males who began yelling at them and suddenly physically attacked them.

One victim suffered moderate injuries to his face from being punched multiple times by the suspects and a second victim suffered a moderate stab wound to his torso. The suspects then fled the scene in a vehicle.

PSPD Investigators learned that the victims and suspects know each other from Yucca Valley. Investigators believe this was an unprovoked attack and the suspects attacked the victims for intimidation purposes and furtherance of the gang’s reputation.

Through the on-going investigation, PSPD Detectives were able to identify and obtain arrest warrants and search warrants for two suspects who have been identified as:

1.       Rodney Paul Finister  DOB January 1986 – Resident of Yucca Valley

2.       Terrell Edwin Small DOB September 1992 – Resident of Yucca Valley

On 4-6-16 at approximately 3:30 PM PSPD Investigators with the help of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department arrested both suspects in Yucca Valley and subsequently served the related search warrants.

Both suspects were booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on the following charges:

Suspect #1 – Finister :                                                                 

245(a)(1) PC- Assault w/ Deadly Weapon – GBI Likely                   

186.22(A) PC-Participate in Criminal Street Gang                           

186.22(b)(1) PC – Felony Committed for benefit of street gang    

Suspect # 2 – Small:

243(d) PC – Battery w/ serious bodily injury

186.22(a) PC- Part. in Criminal Street Gang

186.22(b)(1) PC - Felony Committed for benefit of street gang

"All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law"