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 Commercial Burglary, Resisting Officers Arrest
On June 4, at 3:30pm, officers received a call from an alert citizen regarding the suspect attempting to break into the front door of a business in the 3100 block of Telegraph Road. By the time officers arrived, the suspect had fled. While the officers were on scene investigating, they were able to review the surveillance video at the business which showed the suspect, 24 year old vagrant Billy Willis, attempting to break the front door to the business.
As the investigation continued, the suspect returned to the area near the business and the officers saw him. When they attempted to contact him, he fled from them on foot, and the officers pursued after him. After a lengthy foot pursuit, the suspect gave up and was arrested by the officers. The suspect was arrested for attempted commercial burglary, resisting arrest and an unrelated misdemeanor warrant. While he was being medically cleared at Ventura County Medical Center, he had to be admitted to the hospital. Once his medical issues are resolved, he will be booked into Ventura County Jail for the listed charges.
Vehicle Burglary, Stolen Vehicle Incident with K9 Search
On June 5, at approximately 2:30am, officers were in the area of Evergreen Drive and Thompson Blvd. Investigating a vehicle burglary that had just occurred. While one of the officers was looking for the suspect in the area, he saw a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed attempting to flee the area. Before the officer could catch up to the vehicle, it was involved in a collision with a parked vehicle and the driver fled on foot. The patrol officers located and detained a passenger, 27 year old Ventura resident Juan Arias, in the vehicle, and other officers and the VPD K9 began a search for the outstanding driver. After a lengthy search, the suspect not located.
The subsequent investigation revealed the vehicle was reported stolen out of Santa Barbara County. Stolen property from the vehicle burglary was located inside the vehicle and later returned to the owner. The passenger was found to be in possession of narcotics paraphernalia and was arrested for the charge.
Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, Possession of a Prohibited Assault Weapon, Possession of Narcotics and Paraphernalia
On June 5, at approximately 4:15pm, a concerned citizen called the Ventura Police Department reference a suspicious vehicle that was seen in the area for an extended period of time. The citizen was concerned that the subject in the vehicle was possibly casing residences. Ventura Police Patrol Officers were dispatched to the area and located a vehicle matching the description, and stopped the vehicle after observing a vehicle code violation.
The suspect was identified as 31 year old Santa Paula resident Zosimo Esparza, and during the investigation officers located ammunition, narcotics and narcotics paraphernalia in the suspect’s possession. Further investigation revealed the suspect was in possession of a loaded Assault Weapon in the vehicle that is prohibited in the State of California.
Strong-Arm Robbery, Assault with a Deadly Weapon (force likely to produce injury), and Resisting Arrest
On June 10, at 3:15am, 36 year old vagrant Brandon Nugent walked into Chevron and attempted to purchase merchandise. When he was told he did not have enough money he began yelling at the clerk. When the clerk attempted to retrieve the property, Nugent struck her and pulled her and the property outside.
Once outside, he tackled her to the ground and then got behind her and began choking her. The victim was able to fight her way out of the choke hold and run back inside to call 911. Nugent fled the scene on foot.
Officers arrived in the area and contacted Nugent, who matched the description given by the victim. Nugent refused to stop for police and tried to get away but was taken into custody without injury to either Nugent or the officers. Nugent was positively identified by the victim and transported and booked at VCJ.
Commercial Burglary with Arrest
At June 10, at approximately 5am, Ventura Police responded to an alarm call for service at Trek Bicycles. Officers arrived on scene to find the window had been smashed and a rack of bikes inside the store had been knocked over. The security video showed a suspect entering the store.
Ventura Patrol officers began searching the area for the suspect. Ventura Police CSI was called to the scene to collect additional evidence.
At approximately 5:30am officers located a suspect, Scott Heckmaster, in the area who matched the description. Based on evidence from the scene and statements from Heckmaster, he was taken into custody. Heckmaster was transported and booked at VCJ for Commercial Burglary.
Heckmaster caused several thousand dollars in damages to the window and merchandise inside the store.
Stolen Vehicle Pursuit and Arrest
On June 15, at approximately 7:30pm, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a call from the victim reporting that his vehicle was just stolen in 1200 block of Petit Ave. The victim left his vehicle running while he unloaded groceries into his residence. A short time later, an officer responding to the call saw the stolen vehicle on Northbank Dr. and Bristol Rd., and a vehicle pursuit was initiated.
The driver of the vehicle, later identified as 42 year old vagrant Kirtis Lund, continued on Bristol Rd. at speeds reaching 70 mph, before going southbound on Johnson Dr. While on Johnson Dr., Lund began driving on the wrong side of the center median. Because of the danger he posed to the public by going the wrong way, the officer discontinued the pursuit. Lund then turned into the parking lot of the Northbank Plaza in the 2800 block of Johnson Dr. and before the vehicle came to a stop, he fled from the vehicle on foot. The vehicle continued to roll forward and hit a retaining wall inside the shopping center. Officers caught up to Lund and took him into custody without incident.
Lund was arrested and booked into the Ventura County Jail for felony evading, stolen vehicle, and several misdemeanor warrants.
