Police: Assault suspects also set house on fire

Three Yuba City men and a 17-year-old boy charged with assaulting a convenience store clerk set fire to a house occupied by two elderly people the same night, according to Yuba City police.

Attempted murder charges are being sought in connection with the fire early Tuesday morning in the 1600 block of Oleander Drive, said police spokeswoman Shawna Pavey.

Arrested Thursday at the Sutter County Jail, where they were being held in connection with the convenience store incident, were: Jasdeep Singh, 18, Hardev Singh, 22, and Kuljeet Singh, 20. The 17-year-old was also arrested, said Pavey.

The Yuba City Fire Department was called to the Oleander Drive address at 3:21 a.m. and found the house and a car in the driveway on fire. Two residents were inside the house but got out and were trying to put out the fires when firefighters arrived. Damage was limited to $6,000.

The incident at the AM PM Mini Market at Highway 99 and Bogue Road was reported at 3:34 a.m., 13 minutes after the fire was reported. A clerk was attacked when he went outside to investigate "suspicious behavior" by the four near the store's gas pumps.

As the four left, one of the men allegedly fired a revolver at the clerk.

After being arrested Tuesday at the jail in connection with the fire incident, the four were arraigned in Sutter County Superior Court on charges from the convenience store incident.

Police are working with the Sutter County Sheriff's Department, which responded to the second incident, to establish a possible connection between the two incidents, Pavey said.

The suspects allegedly used an accelerant to set the house and car on fire. Their motive was not clear, she said.

CONTACT Rob Young at 749-4710 or ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.