By G. T. Houts
San Bernardino, CA – Two Lake Arrowhead men have been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter related to the 2013 death of Running Springs resident David Quijas, 46.
The two men arrested are Christopher Vincent Batchelor, 42, and Joshua James Kemp, 40.
THE INCIDENT
David Quijas (Facebook Photo)
Twin Peaks Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 700 block of West Victoria Court in Sky Forest/Lake Arrowhead to the report of an assault on Wednesday, April 24, 2013, at about 9:03 p.m.
Arriving officers and fire personnel located Quijas suffering from upper body trauma, according to a media advisory issued at the time by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Quijas was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
The Sheriff’s Department’s Specialized Investigations Division, Homicide Detail responded to the scene to conduct the investigation.
Detectives arrested Batchelor and Kemp for murder but the District Attorney’s office initially reviewed the case and chose not to file murder charges.
SUBSEQUENT FILING
On June 24, 2015, after further review by the District Attorney, involuntary manslaughter charges were filed against Batchelor and Kemp and warrants for their arrest were issued.
Deputies from the Twin Peaks Station and the Sheriff’s Multiple Enforcement Team (MET) located the two suspects on Tuesday, June 30, and they were arrested and booked at the Big Bear Jail on the involuntary manslaughter charge.
They were later transferred to the West Valley Detention Center where they are each being held on $250,000 bail.
COURT HEARINGS
On July 2, both Batchelor and Kemp were arraigned via video and entered not guilty pleas to all charges.
County Commissioner Ronald J. Gilbert appointed a conflict panel attorney to defend Batchelor and a public defender to represent Kemp.
Both men are scheduled for a pre-preliminary hearing on July 13 at 8:30 a.m. in Department S-12. (150)