ACCUSED PAIR TO STAND TRIAL.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Two Antelope Valley men accused in a string of early morning takeover-style robberies of Palmdale businesses have been ordered to stand trial.

Jaymar Dodds, 26, of Palmdale and DeAnthony Nichols, 19, of Lancaster are charged with attempted murder and robbery in the Jan. 30 robbery of Carrows Restaurant, in which a cook was shot in the chest.

Dodds, who was on parole for robbery at the time of his March 4 arrest, was ordered to stand trial on charges relating to the robberies of the Carrows restaurant, a Starbucks coffee shop on Jan. 19, and a 99 Cents Only store on Dec. 18, 2002.

Nichols was bound over for trial on charges stemming from the Carrows robbery and shooting.

``They were basically armed takeover-type robberies. They were hitting the businesses with the same MO,'' Deputy District Attorney Hayden Zacky said. ``They would rush employees and force everybody inside.''

Dodds is accused of committing crimes to benefit a street gang, but Lancaster Superior Court Judge Steve Ogden ruled that there was not enough evidence to link Nichols to a street gang, Zacky said.

``Dodds had more of a gang history than Nichols did. The judge felt because of Dodds' contacts or entrenchment in gangs, there was enough evidence to proceed as to Dodds,'' Zacky said.

Ogden also dismissed charges of kidnapping for purposes of robbery against both men, but Zacky said he intends to refile those charges when the men are arraigned for a second time Jan. 13.

In the Carrows and the Starbucks robberies, the victims were moved at gunpoint from the front of the businesses to areas in the back, Zacky said.

``California law on kidnapping for robbery charges is a little bit unclear, and the judge follows one line of cases, whereas the District Attorney's Office kind of adopts a different line of cases,'' Zacky said. ``Until the California Supreme Court resolves these issues, there's going to be a split of opinions.''

Dodds was being held in lieu of more than $6.2 million bail, and Nichols was being held in lieu of $3 million bail.

Investigators said the robberies followed a similar pattern, occurring in the early morning hours just as employees were either leaving their vehicles or opening the doors for business.

The gunmen would hide near bushes or trash enclosures and spring out and force the employees inside the business. They would then order money to be removed from safes or cash registers and then flee.

After Dodds and Nichols were arrested, investigators were able to locate a vehicle that matched witnesses' descriptions, officials said.

Investigators said they gathered enough information to secure search warrants on Dodds' and Nichols' residences, where they discovered evidence they said linked the two men to three of the robberies and possibly more.

Deputies said that both men were identified by witnesses as the robbers.

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com