Two young men who allegedly assaulted and robbed a woman in Sky Valley, in an attack that left the victim unconscious and stranded in the desert, were charged Wednesday with assault causing great bodily injury and robbery.
Oscar Esqueda of Palm Desert and Joseph Verdusco of Coachella are accused in the May 2 predawn attack on the woman, who was physically assaulted and robbed of unspecified property, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Shaun Myers.
The victim, whose name was withheld, later regained consciousness and walked to a nearby home to notify police, who responded at 4:07 a.m. to the 21500 block of Penny Lane, Myers said.
The sheriff’s department did not reveal whether the woman knew her alleged attackers.
Esqueda and Verdusco, both 22, were arrested last Thursday in Indio and booked on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and parole violations.
Both men were being held without bail and were slated to make their initial court appearances Wednesday afternoon in Indio.