by Cindy Summers
Police reports are provided to us by the Ventura Police Department and are not the opinions of the Ventura Breeze. All suspects mentioned are assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Attempt Vehicle Burglary Arrest
On March 14, at approximately 3am, officers responded to a report of a person attempting to break into a vehicle in the 6000 block of Cardinal Street. When officers arrived in the area, they were initially unable to find the suspect. He had fled from the area prior to their arrival. After a lengthy search, the suspect, 35 year old Ventura resident David Williams, was located and detained. The investigation confirmed he had attempted to break into a locked vehicle. At the conclusion of the investigation, he was arrested.
Armed Robbery Arrest
Over the past several weeks, Detectives with the Special Enforcement Team and Major Crimes were able to identify 23 year old Jonathan Sabalza as the suspect in the listed armed robberies.
On March 18, at approximately 6am, Ventura Police Major Crimes, Special Enforcement Team and Street Crimes Unit Detectives, along with patrol and K9, located Sabalza hiding in an apartment in the 6300 block of Whippoorwil Street in Ventura. After a brief standoff, the suspect came out of the apartment and was arrested. During a subsequent search, the handgun used in both robberies was located.
Carjacking
On March 23, at 9am, the Ventura Police Department’s Command Center received a call of a carjacking that just occurred at the Chevron gas station in the 2500 block of E. Main St. The caller was the gas station clerk, who was calling for the victim.
Officers responded and contacted the 42-year-old male victim. He told officers he was allowing an acquaintance to drive his vehicle, when they got into an argument. The acquaintance drove into the alley to the rear of the gas station and threatened to get a weapon to harm the victim if he did not get out of the vehicle. Fearing for his safety, the victim got out of the vehicle. The acquaintance, later identified as Jeffrey Gonzalez, and a female passenger fled in the vehicle.
Approximately 2 hours later, officers were on a foot patrol in the area of Chestnut St. and Thompson Blvd., when they observed the stolen vehicle parked in a parking lot. The officers checked the vehicle and found Gonzalez sleeping inside. Gonzalez was detained and arrested without incident for carjacking.
The victim was not injured during this incident and his vehicle was returned.
A review of the Ventura County Superior Court website shows that Gonzalez has a prior conviction in 2016 for possession of drug paraphernalia.
