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.
Vehicle Casing, Attempt Vehicle Theft and Assault on Police Officer Arrest
On the above date and time, the Ventura Police Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a subject (later identified as 26-year-old Newbury Park resident Rayvonn Richardson) looking into parked vehicles and checking car door handles in the parking lot of the 99 Store at 1425 S. Victoria Ave. The first officers that arrived on-scene attempted to contact Richardson and he fled on foot. After a brief foot pursuit, the officers detained him. Richardson then violently resisted, broke free from the officers, and punched one of the officers in the face before fleeing again on foot.
Officers chased Richardson through the surrounding area, circling back to where some of the marked police cars were parked. Through a partially open window, Richardson was able to gain access to the driver’s side of one of the locked police units. After resisting officers again, he was taken into custody.
Richardson is currently on parole for criminal threats and has numerous arrests, including robbery, criminal threats, possession of a controlled substance, and resisting arrest. Three officers received minor injuries during this incident.
Richardson was not injured. Richardson was booked at Ventura County Jail for three counts of Resisting/Assaulting a Police Officer (Felony), Attempt Vehicle Theft (Felony), Vehicle Tampering (misdemeanor) and Parole Violation (Felony).
Felony Evading & Traffic Collision
On November 6, at approximately 11:15 pm, the Ventura Police Department received a call from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) requesting assistance locating a vehicle that had fled from their officers during a vehicle pursuit. The driver reportedly attempted to strike a CHP officer with the vehicle, committing an assault with a deadly weapon. CHP pursued the vehicle into the City of Ventura but lost sight of the vehicle in the area of Valentine Rd and Victoria Avenue.
Ventura Police officers located the suspect vehicle driving in the area of Channel Drive and Lemon Grove Avenue and initiated an enforcement stop. The suspect fled and drove recklessly through the city and on the 101 Freeway. A supervisor canceled the pursuit when the conditions became too dangerous to continue and officers lost sight of the vehicle. A short time later, the vehicle struck a Gold Coast Ambulance that was driving on Main Street. The ambulance was pushed into a large truck. The ambulance and the suspect vehicle caught fire. The occupants of all three vehicles were injured and transported to local hospitals for treatment. All are in stable condition. The suspect, Ventura resident Ron Balden, was seriously injured but is expected to recover.
The Ventura Police Department is investigating the Felony Evading and suspected Felony Driving Under the Influence. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the Assault with a Deadly Weapon against their officer.
