Three young men accused of planning an assault they allegedly carried out on a 17-year-old boy at a bonfire in Helendale have been arrested, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced Monday.
Deputies began investigating the incident after a caller late Friday night reported that the teen had been hit in the head with an unknown object during an assault, according to a sheriff’s news release.
The victim was flown to Loma Linda University Medical Center and is in stable condition.
During the course of their investigation, deputies learned that the victim and suspects had attended the same bonfire in the 13700 block of Smithson Road that evening, the release stated.
The suspects were angered over an earlier altercation involving the victim and one of their friends, and at one point, one of them grabbed a baseball bat and used it to strike the victim in the head, the Sheriff’s Department said.
They had allegedly discussed assaulting the victim if he showed up to the bonfire prior to the event, investigators said.
The suspects were arrested and booked into the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto on suspicion of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit a criminal act, according to the release. All three are being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
They were identified by the Sheriff’s Department as 21-year-old Jason Sherwood, 18-year-old Christopher Michael Sherwood and 25-year-old Jirmarcus David Dupree, all of Helendale.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to call Detective Osvaldo Pelayes of the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station at 760-552-6801.
Additionally, those wishing to provide info anonymously can call WeTip at 800-782-7463 or visit the website www.wetip.com.