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.
Commercial and Vehicle Burglary Arrest
On April 5, at approximately 3:45 pm, the Ventura Police Command Center received a call from a clerk about a subject attempting to sell suspected stolen property at a business. Patrol officers arrived and detained the subject, 38-year-old vagrant Darryl Ellis, and an associate. Street Crimes Unit Detectives also responded to assist. The property Ellis was attempting to sell was determined to have been stolen during a vehicle burglary which occurred the day prior. Detectives also recognized Ellis from a commercial burglary which occurred in March of 2023.
Detectives searched a storage unit Ellis had access to. Detectives located additional stolen property from the vehicle burglary from the day prior as well as clothing believed to be worn during the commercial burglary from March 2023.
Ellis was arrested for Commercial Burglary and Vehicle Burglary and he was booked at the Ventura County Jail.
Armed Robbery and Assault with a Deadly Weapon
On April 8, at approximately 9:30 pm, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received multiple calls of a subject threatening with a knife in the 1200 block of South Victoria Avenue. A loss prevention agent from Vons called dispatch to report the same subject, 26-year-old vagrant Garrett Powell, had just committed a theft from the store and was following Powell, who was still holding a knife.
Officers located Powell on Victoria Ave., north of Ralston St. and he discarded the knife prior to officers taking him into custody.
The ensuing investigation revealed the loss prevention agent saw Powell conceal a bottle of alcohol inside the store. When the loss prevention agent stopped Powell at the exit and demanded the property back, Powell produced a knife and swung it at the loss prevention agent. The loss prevention agent was not injured in this incident and continued to follow Powell, giving updates to his location until officers were able to locate and take Powell into custody.
Garrett Powell was booked at the Ventura County Jail for Robbery and Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
Stabbing Homicide
On April 11, at approximately 7:00 pm, the Ventura Police Command Center received a call of a stabbing that just occurred near the public restrooms at Surfers Point adjacent to the Promenade. Responding officers located one male adult suffering from multiple stab wounds to the upper torso.
The victim, 39-year-old Raymond Morales, was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries. The Ventura Police Department Major Crimes Detectives are currently investigating the incident. The ensuing investigation revealed that two suspects approached the victim near a picnic table and were involved in an altercation prior to the stabbing. After the attack the suspects fled on foot to the public parking lot at Surfers Point and left the scene in a vehicle northbound on Figueroa St. This investigation is ongoing and may be gang related.
Driving Under the Influence Collision with Injuries
On April 14, at 9:53pm, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a 911 call of a vehicle roll-over at the intersection of Walker St. and Moon Drive. An officer in the area arrived on scene within one minute and found a Subaru Outback on its roof, in the bushes of 5700 Moon Drive.
The occupants of the vehicle were found outside the vehicle with visible injuries. The driver, Louden Flartey, was tending to his 22 yera old female passenger who had sustained injuries during the collision. An officer speaking with Flartey could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage and began an investigation for driving under the influence (DUI).
At the conclusion of the investigation, Flartey was arrested. An eyewitness to the collision said Flartey’s vehicle was driving at a high rate of speed and lost control while trying to make a turn.
Flartey’s passenger was transported to a nearby hospital and treated for minor injuries. Flartey was booked at the Ventura County Jail for felony driving under the influence and causing injury.
Anyone with any information who witnessed this event or has possible video footage of the incident is asked to call Detective Avila at 805-339-4478.
Stabbing-Homicide
On April 16, at 1am, the Ventura Police Command Center received a call of a stabbing that just occurred in the 200 block of East McFarlane Dr. Responding officers located one male adult suffering from a stab wound to his upper extremities. The victim, Jose Contreras 31 years of Ventura, was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.
The Ventura Police Department Major Crimes Detectives are currently investigating this incident. The ensuing investigation revealed that the suspect and victim knew each other and were at a gathering at a residence on East McFarlane. An argument ensued resulting in the victim being stabbed. This investigation is ongoing and may be gang related. At this time there are no suspects in custody.
Anyone with any information who may have witnessed this event is asked to call Detective Nuñez at 805-339-4328.
