Assault with a Deadly Weapon in Valley Center 

October 17, 2025 – San Diego County Sheriff’s Office officials report that a man is facing numerous weapons charges in connection with a violent assault in Valley Center.

It happened on Saturday, October 4, just after 10:00 p.m. at the Rincon Travel Plaza, located in the 33700 block of Valley Center Road, on the Rincon Reservation.

Deputies from the Valley Center Sheriff's Substation responded to the call of a man being attacked by a group of individuals in the parking lot of the Rincon Travel Plaza. During the altercation, one of the suspects brandished an assault rifle.

After setting up a perimeter in the area, deputies arrested Steven Brickhouse (36), Jordan Redfern (18), Daniel Villa (19) and a 17-year-old female juvenile for assault with a deadly weapon.

Deputies later obtained search warrants for the adult suspects' homes. Deputies ended up finding 21 firearms connected to Brickhouse, including:

• Three Special Purpose Rifles (SPRs)
• Two fully modified automatic handguns
• Two ghost guns
• Multiple rifles and handguns
• Four bulletproof vests
• One AR-15 upper
• One rifle suppressor
• One ballistic helmet
• Several thousand rounds of ammunition

Brickhouse, who was out on bail, was rearrested and booked into the Vista Detention Facility on additional charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun and possession of a silencer.

The case remains under investigation.

Source & photo: San Diego County Sheriff’s Office