MURRIETA – Two Quail Valley men were in custody Tuesday for allegedly trying to rob two other men and assaulting one of them at a Target store parking lot in Murrieta, a sergeant said.

Jonathan Santos, 20, and David Short, 21, were arrested late Monday night and early Tuesday and booked into the Southwest Detention Center. A third suspect was still at large.

Murrieta police were called about 11:10 p.m. Monday to investigate a reported assault outside the store at 41090 California Oaks Road, Sgt. Tony Conrad said.

The suspects fled before police arrived, leaving in a white Dodge Neon. Witnesses followed the vehicle onto the southbound 15 Freeway but eventually lost the car, Conrad said.

A short time later, a Murrieta police officer spotted the Neon heading north on Jefferson Avenue and gave chase, but the suspects got out of the car and fled on foot into some fields, Conrad said.

One suspect was caught about 12:45 a.m. The other suspects eluded police. But as the first suspect was being booked, his cell phone kept ringing – and officers traced the call to a pay phone near Madison Avenue and Murrieta Hot Springs Road, Conrad said.

Officers went to the area and arrested the second suspect about 3:20 a.m., and determined he had been driving the Neon, Conrad said.

Investigators determined that the suspects tried to rob two men while brandishing baseball bats, striking one of the victims in the upper body, Conrad said.

Police are still looking for the third suspect, who was described as Latino, about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 120 pounds, with a thin build. He is anywhere from 16 to 20 years old and was wearing black clothing with a dark baseball cap and a dark bandanna on his face.

Short was booked on a bench warrant for failing to appear at a hearing for his conviction on charges of drug use and removal of a telephone or electric line, jail and court records indicate. He was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail, pending arraignment Thursday, according to jail records.

He has not yet been charged in connection with Monday's alleged attack.

Santos was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm and attempted strong-armed robbery, jail records state.

He remained in lockup in lieu of $25,000 bail, pending arraignment Thursday, according to jail records.

Anyone with information was asked to call police at (951) 696-3615.