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.

Arrest of San Diego County Homicide Suspect

On November 28, at approximately 8am, the San Diego Police Department Communications Center received a call of an injured man in the 3100 block of Sports Arena Boulevard in San Diego. When the officers arrived, they found a man with significant trauma to his neck. The man was transported to the hospital, but unfortunately did not survive his injuries.

The investigation revealed the victim had an altercation with the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Forrest Robert Brantley. At some point in the altercation, Brantley used a weapon to cause traumatic injuries to the victim’s neck area. After the homicide, detectives received information that Brantley was in the City of Ventura, but there was no information available about his specific whereabouts. Officers with the Ventura Police Department and Ventura County Community College Police were sent to multiple locations where possible sightings had occurred, but Brantley was never found.

On December 4, at approximately 10am. officers with the Ventura Police Patrol Task Force saw Brantley walking near Junipero Street and Santa Clara Street in Ventura. He was detained and arrested for a parole violation and the San Diego County homicide.

A review of superior court data bases show Brantley has been arrested thirty-four times since 2000. The charges included burglary, robbery, elder abuse, drug related offenses and property crimes. At the time of his arrest on December 4, he was on active parole for attempted robbery, burglary, elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon.

Stolen Vehicle Pursuit and Arrest

On November 29, from 6:45pm to 8pm, officers responded to a call of a stolen vehicle. Once on scene, the victim informed the officers that she had parked her SUV in the driveway of her home around 6:45pm when she came out of her house around 8pm she noticed that the SUV was gone. The officers completed a stolen vehicle investigation, and a report was filed.

At approximately 10pm a Ventura Police Sergeant saw the SUV driving westbound on the 126 Freeway passing Victoria Av. traveling at over 100 MPH. He began following the SUV as it continued on the 126 freeway to northbound 101 Freeway, and eventually exiting at Seaward Av. As the SUV exited the freeway, other VPD units arrived to assist, and a pursuit of the vehicle was started.

During the incident, the juvenile driver drove erratically and made multiple vehicle code violations. Eventually, the driver drove south on Norwich Ln, which deadends at the beach. Having nowhere to go, the driver exited the SUV and ran onto the beach. The SUV came to a stop when it ran into a brick wall at the end of the lane. Two other male passengers also exited the SUV and ran in the opposite direction of the driver and were not chased.

After running from the vehicle and onto the beach, the driver went back into the neighborhood to try and get away from officers. After an extensive search, he was found in a backyard on Martha’s Vineyard by a Ventura Police K9 “Jag” and taken into custody. During the incident, the juvenile suffered a minor injury to his hand and was treated at a local hospital. He was arrested for felony possession of a stolen vehicle and evading.

Carjacking and Resisting Arrest

On December 1, at approximately 6:30pm, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a 911 call from a victim reporting that his vehicle was in the process of being stolen. The victim said he was sitting in his vehicle with the engine running, when the suspect approached it and started banging on the passenger’s window. He confronted the suspect, later identified as 28 year old Michael Pacella, who aggressively approached him and made threats to harm him. Pacella then got into the victim’s vehicle and started driving off, when he realized the victim’s dog was in the backseat. Pacella stopped the vehicle, just as a Ventura Police K-9 officer arrived on scene.

When additional officers arrived, Pacella was ordered out of the vehicle and physically resisted attempts to take him into custody. The K-9 officer deployed his dog, which allowed officers to arrest Pacella without further incident.

Pacella was treated at the scene by Ventura City Fire, before being transported to VCMC for treatment of his injuries. After being medically cleared, Pacella was arrested for carjacking, resisting arrest and driving under the influence.

No one else was injured as a result of this incident.

Felony Domestic Violence Incident with Arrest

On December 10, at approximately 11am, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a 911 hang-up call from a residence in the 200 block of Burl Ave. On callback, the female victim reported she was involved in a physical domestic with her boyfriend, later identified as 19 year old Ventura resident Daniel Vargas. When officers arrived on scene, Vargas was reportedly inside the residence and when contacted by phone, said he was not going to cooperate with officers. Vargas also threatened officers and said he was armed with a knife.

As officers continued to negotiate with Vargas on the phone, it was determined he had left the residence prior to officers arriving on scene and was on foot in the area.

Ventura Police motor officers began helping with the search and located Vargas on the bike path near the Community Park on Kimball Rd. Vargas, who was still armed with the knife (see attached), displayed the knife in a threatening manner towards the officers and fled onto Highway 126. Additional officers responded and attempted to detain him. At one point, Vargas raised the knife up and while advancing towards officers, threatened to harm them if they did not shoot him. Officers continued to give Vargas orders to drop the knife, but when he refused to comply, officers deployed a taser. The taser was not effective in stopping Vargas, who continued to advance towards the officers. A Ventura Police K-9 officer then deployed his K9 (Bolt), which allowed officers to take Vargas into custody without further incident.

Vargas was treated at a local hospital for his injuries. After being medically cleared, Vargas was arrested for attempted murder, felony domestic violence, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, and felony resisting arrest.

The female victim received non-life threatening injuries as a result of this incident and treated for her injuries. No officers or the K-9 were injured.

Train Boxcar Vandalism Arrest

On December 11, at approximately 4pm, Ventura Police Cadets monitoring security cameras for the Ventura City Maintenance Yard observed three male suspects spray painting a boxcar on the railroad tracks south of the yard. The cadet notified the Ventura Command Center Supervisor, and officers were dispatched to the location. Through a coordinated effort, the officers were able to surround the area and stop 20 year old Ventura resident Vincent Saucedo as he attempted to run away. The two other suspects separated and were able to getaway. During the investigation, officers found graffiti paraphernalia on Saucedo as well as paint on his hands matching that found on the boxcar.

Saucedo was arrested for felony vandalism, misdemeanor obstructing a peace officer and trespassing on railroad property. No one was injured during this incident, and Saucedo was booked at the Ventura County Jail.

Addict in Possession of a Firearm Arrest

On December 12, a Ventura Patrol Officer saw the suspect, 27 year old Ventura resident Jose Crespin, driving in the area of Main St. and Emma Ave. Crespin is known to the officer from prior contacts and the officer was aware that Crespin was driving on a suspended driver’s license. The officer made a traffic stop on Crespin in the parking lot of Smart and Final.

During the stop, the officer asked Crespin to exit the vehicle and asked if there was anything illegal inside the car. Crespin told the officer that there was an unloaded gun in his backpack. Based on this information, the officer continued his investigation and found the unloaded handgun, ammunition and drug paraphernalia. Based on his investigation, the officer asked a DRE officer to assist and conduct an evaluation to determine if Crespin was under the influence of an illegal substance.

Upon completion of the DRE evaluation, Crespin was arrested for felony possession of a firearm by an addict, possession of ammunition by an addict, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, and being under the influence of a controlled substance. No one was injured during this arrest, and Crespin was booked into Ventura County Jail.