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Pizza Hut carjackers headed to trial
[December 12, 2012]

Pizza Hut carjackers headed to trial


VICTORVILLE, Dec 12, 2012 (Daily Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A Victorville man and a juvenile accused of carjacking a vehicle from a Pizza Hut delivery driver are headed to trial.

After a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Victorville court, Judge Jules Fleuret ruled there was probable cause to believe William Anthony Lewis, 20, and Malik Devon Carson, 17, committed the crime. Preliminary hearings are held for judges to decide whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence to hold defendants for a jury trial.



If convicted in trial, Lewis and Carson face up to 34 years to life in prison, according to Deputy District Attorney Mari Braun.

Both defendants rejected the prosecution's offer before the preliminary hearing.


During the evening of Nov. 17, San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies responded to a carjacking call from the victim in the 14000 block of Yearling Lane in Victorville. The victim was shivering and crying on the sidewalk, Deputy Fernando Caballero testified.

The victim said he was delivering pizza but the house was vacant. He called the phone number on the receipt and a man said he would be right out.

Then two men came out from the dark, according to the victim. They approached him before one of them pointed a gun in his face.

"Get out of the car before I blow your head off," the man with the gun said, according to the victim.

The victim handed them $40, his wallet, car key and cellphone, Caballero said. The robbers told him to run and disappear before they drove off in the victim's white Chrysler 300.

Deputies located the stolen car and began chasing it westbound on Bear Valley Road at speeds more than 100 mph, sheriff 's officials said. The car hit the embankment west of Highway 395 and came to a stop in the desert.

The suspects fled on foot before deputies arrested Lewis and Carson. The victim identified the defendants as the robbers and Carson as the one with the gun.

The defendants were ordered to return to court for arraignment Dec. 24.

___ (c)2012 the Daily Press (Victorville, Calif.) Visit the Daily Press (Victorville, Calif.) at www.vvdailypress.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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