Duo Accused In 'PrePlanned' Putah Creek Road Shootings: Sheriff

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — Two of three suspects sought in connection with the shootings and armed robberies of two 18-year-old men in separate but very similar incidents on Putah Creek Road were tracked down and arrested by Solano County sheriff's investigators. Amit Kaui Chhoker, 18, of Woodland and Branden Lee Lerma, 19, of Winters, are accused of two counts each of felony assault with a firearm and felony robbery, according to information from the Solano County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators believe Chhoker drove the victims, whom she met online, to an isolated stretch of Putah Creek Road near Lake Solano Park where two male suspects were lying in wait, sheriff's Spokesman Daniel "Cully" Pratt said.

The first shooting was reported just after midnight April 22 by an 18-year-old man who said he'd just been shot in the leg and robbed of his cellphone, cash and shoes. The victim said he'd just walked over a mile from where he was shot.

"Deputies scoured the area and located video surveillance of the suspect vehicle, later identified as a green Land Rover, and an expended shell casing found at the crime scene," Pratt said.

The victim told investigators a woman he met online had picked him up from his residence in a green Land Rover and drove him to the spot near Lake Solano Park.

Upon their arrival, two male suspects — one of whom investigators allege was Lerma — pulled the victim from the SUV and shot him once in the leg, Pratt said.

The injured victim walked down Putah Creek Road in the darkness until he came across a residence where he was able to get help.

Investigators believe Lerma and another, yet-to-be identified male were dropped off prior to the shooting/robbery.

A two-month investigation ensued which involved the sheriff's Investigations Bureau "working diligently authoring multiple social media, phone and other criminal search warrants in an effort to solve this crime," Pratt said.

Then, just after midnight on June 18, another shooting occurred — reportedly at the same location and in what authorities said was the exact same manner.

"The second [18-year-old] male victim was also physically assaulted and shot once in the lower half of his body," Pratt said. "The victim was also robbed of his personal belongings, which consisted of two ounces of marijuana and his cellphone."

Surveillance video was captured of a green Land Rover arriving and fleeing the crime scene, Pratt said, and the methods of the robbery and shooting were nearly the same — the only difference being that a different caliber handgun was used.

Investigators would soon get a break.

Pings from the second victim's cellphone led detectives to a neighborhood in Woodland, Pratt said, where they also located a green Land Rover.

Working with the Woodland Police Department, investigators determined Chhoker was known to drive the Land Rover and lived on Garcia Drive where they first saw the SUV parked.

Detectives positively identified Chhoker as the woman who picked up both victims, Pratt said, and on Friday, June 21, she was stopped while driving the Land Rover at Gibson Road and Pioneer in Woodland and was taken into custody.

According to Pratt, suspected human blood was found inside the Land Rover, which was seized as evidence.

Following Chhoker's arrest, detectives discovered she conspired with Lerma and a third, yet-to-be-identified suspect in the "preplanning of both incidents on Putah Creek Road," Pratt said.

Lerma, whom investigators believe was the shooter in at least one of the incidents, was tracked down with the help of the Winters Police Department, Pratt said.

Lerma was arrested in a felony traffic stop Sunday, June 23 in a parking lot at 196 E. Grant Ave. in Winters.

Chhoker and Lerma remained behind bars as of Tuesday night — Chhoker in lieu of $110,000 bail and Lerma in lieu of $850,000 bail.

Chhoker is accused of two counts of felony robbery and two counts of felony assault with a firearm, according to jail records.

Lerma is accused of two counts of second-degree felony robbery and two counts of felony assault with a firearm, records show.

Both are due in court July 3.

Meanwhile, personnel with the sheriff's office, Winters Police Department and the Solano County District Attorney's Office are continuing their investigation.

Pratt said anyone with pertinent information is encouraged to call sheriff's Detective Ronnie Sefried at 707-784-7059 or Solano Crime Stoppers at 707-644-7867. If a tipster's information leads to arrest, they become eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.