The Ventura Police Department Conducted a DUI checkpoint

The Ventura Police Department Traffic Unit conducted a DUI checkpoint on Friday, September 20 on Harbor Blvd near Schooner Drive from 9:00 pm 1:30 am.

DUI checkpoint locations are chosen based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring residents from driving impaired. During the checkpoint, officers look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. “Reducing the number of impaired drivers on our roads greatly enhances traffic safety,” said Corporal David Curtis. “With the increased risk of impaired driving on weekends, we encourage everyone to celebrate responsibly and designate a sober driver.”

The Ventura Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just caused by alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is not. Marijuana can be impairing, especially when combined with alcohol or other drugs, which can also result in a DUI. If you plan on drinking or taking medications that may impact your ability to drive safely, plan on staying safe at home. If you see a drunk driver, always call 9-1-1. Drivers charged with DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. To learn more about the Office of Traffic Safety grant and VPD’s educational efforts, contact Emily Ayala, Communications Specialist for the Ventura Police Department, at [email protected]

Checkpoint Results:

The following is a list of the enforcement activities that took place at or as a result of the checkpoint:

• 257 cars passed through the checkpoint. 394 drivers were contacted and screened through the checkpoint.
• 9 Field Sobriety Tests were conducted.
• 2 drivers were arrested for 23152(a) VC – Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• 8 drivers cited for VC12500(a), Unlicensed Driver.
• 2 drivers cited for miscellaneous violations, 1 alcohol related citation.

First Degree Residential Burglary and Prowling Arrest
2200 Block of Anthony Dr., Ventura, 09-12-24 / 2204 Hrs.
Report #: 24-60057

On 09/12/24 at approximately 2204 hrs., Ventura Police Patrol Officers responded to an interrupted residential burglary. The subsequent investigation revealed that a tenant was inside her residence alone when she heard a noise coming from a roommate’s bedroom. When the tenant investigated she saw a subject fleeing through a window out of the bedroom. Police met with the victim a short time later, and she explained that various items in her room had been tampered with, and fresh graffiti was found on a wall inside the room.

While officers were on the scene of that burglary, additional residents called 911 to report a subject prowling on various properties. One resident in the 2100 block of Elizabeth Dr. called 911 to report that a subject had entered her residence through an open window and had fled when confronted.

Due to evidence and statements collected at the various scenes, the same individual was believed to have committed these five separate calls for service/crimes and was later identified as Jesus Martinez Garcia. Officers began searching the surrounding neighborhood for the suspect.

Shortly after midnight, the original victims from the 2200 block of Anthony Dr. called 911 to report a subject was in their backyard. The commotion alerted a nearby neighbor, who quickly responded and confronted Garcia in the rear yard, detaining him briefly until police arrived.

Garcia was taken into custody without further incident and was ultimately arrested and booked into custody at the Ventura County Jail for Frist Degree Residential Burglary and Prowling.

Battery and Attempted Robbery Arrest

Ventura Police Report #: 24-55202

On 8/22/23 at about 7:26 pm, the suspect, later identified as 24-year-old Gabriel Lomeli, a Santa Paula resident, approached a victim who was walking in the breezeway between the Crowne Plaza and the Harbor Parking Structure.

Lomeli asked to use the victim’s cell phone, and when the victim refused and turned to walk away, Lomeli punched him several times in the head and face before walking up to an additional victim. This victim was seated in the breezeway with his cell phone in his hand. Lomeli demanded to use his phone, but the second victim refused. Lomeli attempted to take the phone by force but could not do so. Lomeli did pull the victim to the ground, but the victim was able to fight him off, and Lomeli let go of the phone and ran away. At the same time Lomeli was struggling with the second victim, a witness called 911.

Officers arrived in under five minutes, but Lomeli had already fled. Both victims were treated at the scene for minor injuries. Based on the victims’ and witnesses’ statements, officers searched for Lomeli and located him in the area. He was identified as the suspect who had battered the first victim and attempted to rob the second. Lomeli was arrested and transported to the Ventura County Jail, where he was booked for Battery and Attempted Robbery.

If you have any information about this crime, you can make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at VenturaCountyCrimeStoppers.org. If your information leads to an arrest, you could receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Attempted Kidnapping Arrest

On August 7 at about four-thirty in the afternoon, the victim was walking
west on Ramona St near the intersection of Olive St when a vehicle drove past her, made a U-turn, and the driver got out of the car. The driver, later identified as Diago Jimenez, 20-year-old Oxnard resident, walked up to the victim and grabbed her by the shirt. The victim, who does not know Jimenez, shouted for help. Jimenez then released her,
returned to his vehicle, and fled the area. The victim called 911. During
the investigation, Jimenez’s vehicle was located on security footage, and he was identified as the person who had attempted to kidnap the victim.

On 8/8/24, Ventura Police Department detectives took Jimenez into custody. Jimenez was later transported and booked at the Ventura County Jail for Attempted Kidnapping.

On June 15 starting at 10:23pm, the Ventura Police Department received multiple calls related to a group of juveniles disturbing while riding electric bicycles (e-bikes) on the west end of the city. At 10:23pm, the juveniles were reported to have attacked a 66-year-old homeless woman by stepping on her and kicking her while she was laying in a sleeping bag near the intersection of Main Street and Peking Street. A second adult, female victim near the same location reported that the juveniles had thrown rocks at her, and she was struck by a small rock. At 10:34pm, another caller reported a group of juveniles (believed to be the same group) was disturbing while riding e- bikes near the Crown Plaza Hotel. The group was reportedly spitting at people as they passed on their bikes.

While Ventura Police Officers were speaking with the victims near Peking Street and Main Street, the juveniles returned to the area on the e-bikes and the victim pointed them out to officers. When the juveniles saw the police officers they quickly began to ride away. Officers successfully detained two juveniles, a 13-year-old male e-bike rider and his juvenile female companion who was riding on the back of the bike. The other juveniles fled from the area and have not been identified. The 13-year-old male was identified as one of the juveniles who threw a rock at a victim. He was arrested for battery and later released to his mother.

The investigation into these cases is ongoing. The juveniles who attacked the elderly homeless woman have yet to be identified. If you have any information about their identity or were a witness to these crimes, please contact the Ventura Police Department at 805-650-8010.

On April 23, at 9:28pm, the Ventura Police Department received a call of a robbery that had just occurred on the walking path along Harbor Blvd, between San Jon Rd and the Ventura Pier. The victim (41-year-old female, Ventura resident) said she was walking westbound on the path when the two suspects (14-year-old male, Ventura resident and 17-year-old male, Ventura resident) approached her, demanded her purse, and brandished a handgun at her. The suspects took her purse and fled westbound on bicycles.

About 25 minutes later, a patrol officer saw two subjects matching the suspect descriptions in the 400 Block of N. Ventura Avenue. The suspects were detained and found to be in possession of a loaded gun and some of the victim’s stolen property. Both juvenile suspects were arrested and booked at juvenile hall for various charges, including armed robbery, possession of a loaded gun, possession of a “ghost” (unserialized) gun, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Sexual Battery By Fraudulent Representation

On March 21, 2024, the Ventura Police Department Major Crimes unit served an arrest warrant on Dr. Fernando Gomez at his office in Ventura Limitless Functional Therapy 4562 Westinghouse St . Gomez’s arrest stemmed from two separate sexual battery reports. The victims alleged they were sexually battered by Gomez while seeking his chiropractic care. As a result of the investigation, Major Crimes Detectives requested and were granted a warrant for Gomez’s arrest. This investigation is ongoing. The Major Crimes Detectives are asking anyone with information related to these crimes or any other crimes committed by the suspect to contact Detective Gray at (805)339-4472.

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.

Robbery with Arrests

On February 8, at 3:00 pm, the Ventura Police Department received a call of a robbery that had just occurred in the 700 block of Olive Street. The victim said he was walking in a residential alleyway when several subjects approached him, beat him, and took his belongings before fleeing into a nearby residence.

Responding officers located and arrested all four suspects, 26-year-old Ventura resident Isaac Patterson, 32-year-old Ventura resident Angelica Cacho, 30-year-old Ventura resident Brett Marquez, and 26-year-old Ventura resident Caleb Wiggins, at the residence and recovered the stolen property.

The victim had minor injuries as a result of the attack. The four suspects were booked at the Ventura County Jail for Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit a Crime.

Stabbing

The Ventura Police Department Command Center received several 911 calls reporting someone was stabbed at the Chopper Fest Motorcycle Show at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Several officers responded and located two stabbing victims. Officers immediately rendered aid, and the victims were transported via ambulance to the Ventura County Medical Center. Moments later, a third victim walked himself into the Ventura County Medical Center with minor stab wounds from the event.

Currently, all three male victims (ages 33, 43 and 53) are in stable condition. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that a large fight took place between several attendees of the event, which resulted in three involved parties being stabbed.

This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Pat Lindsay at 805-339-4498.