Stolen Vehicle Pursuit

On Saturday, August 29th, at 6:12 p.m., an officer on patrol saw a red Ford pickup speeding in the area of Ralston Street and Saratoga Avenue, and ran the vehicle’s license plate number. The vehicle was a reported stolen vehicle out of Santa Barbara. The vehicle immediately began to accelerate away from the officer.

Officers continued pursuing the vehicle, which entered southbound Highway 101.  The pursuit continued and exited Rice Avenue, into Oxnard. Once patrol units from the Oxnard PD were in position, they took over the vehicle pursuit.

The pursuit was terminated near the intersection of Yucca and Las Tunas Place, after the OPD deployed spike strips. The driver, Terrance Trout, was taken into custody without incident.

The Ventura Police Department took custody of Trout and later booked him into the VC Jail. During the pursuit, two female passengers got out of the vehicle in the area of the auto center. Those females were contacted and released.

Grand Theft

Earlier this year, William Kent contacted the VPD to report fraudulent activity at a vehicle restoration business, Endless Customz, located at 1570 Callens Road. Kent told investigators that the business owner, Robert Kalstrom, sold a vehicle that belonged to Kent and then stole the proceeds from the sale. Kent reported that Kalstrom had also stolen several vehicle parts from the vehicle prior to selling it.

Over the course of the investigation, Major Crimes Detectives determined that Kalstrom committed fraud and grand theft with an estimated loss of over $20,000. While the investigation continued, Kalstrom relocated his business to 6587 Ventura Boulevard.

On Wednesday, September 2nd, 2:00 p.m., detectives arrested Kalstrom without incident. Kalstrom was booked at the VC Jail.

ATM Theft Arrest

During the month of April 2015, detectives with the VPD Street Crimes Unit began an investigation into several reported thefts from Bank of America ATM’s at two separate locations in Ventura.

The victims had reported that a suspicious male had been loitering nearby as they withdrew funds from an ATM. A short time later the victims discovered that unauthorized withdrawals in the amount of $400.00 had been made from their accounts.

These ATM thefts began in February and continued sporadically for the next several months. In July, still images of the suspect were posted of the department’s Facebook site.

In August, detectives identified Eric Arteaga as the suspect in these crimes. A search warrant for Arteaga and his residence in Camarillo was obtained and on September 3rd. Detectives served the warrant and arrested him without incident.

Armed Robbery

On Monday, September 7th, at 5:15 p.m., the VPD received several calls of a possible interrupted vehicle burglary in the 1400 block of Callens Road. One of the suspects, Ricardo Navarro, was being physically detained. Officers arrived and took custody of Navarro.

An adult female had parked her vehicle outside of a business and left her two young children unattended inside. As the female went inside, Navarro and an unknown Hispanic male and white female entered the unlocked vehicle, unaware of the children inside, and began ransacking it. Another family member saw them inside and alerted the others.

All three suspects began running with several family members chasing after them. The unknown Hispanic male and white female got into an awaiting vehicle, being driven by another female suspect, and fled, leaving Navarro.

By that time, a 19-year-old female and her 44-year-old father, both family members of the parked vehicle’s owner, were able to catch up to Navarro, who turned on them and sprayed them both with pepper spray. Unaffected by the pepper spray, the female victim picked up the can and started chasing after Navarro. She caught up a second time and sprayed him in the face with his own can of pepper spray. This incapacitated Navarro long enough for other family members to hold him down until officers arrived.

Possession of a Stolen Vehicle

On Wednesday, September 9th, at 1:25 a.m., a Ventura patrol officer observed a black Dodge Charger parked in the 300 block of Paseo De Playa. The officer was aware a vehicle matching this description had been stolen from the west end of Ventura. The officer confirmed this was in fact the stolen vehicle and waited for additional officers to arrive on scene.

The officers approached the vehicle and found the driver, Vincent Hernandez, asleep behind the wheel. Hernandez was detained without incident and admitted to taking the vehicle earlier in the day. Hernandez was placed under arrest for possession of a stolen vehicle. Hernandez was also found to be in possession of controlled substance and had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

The passenger, Graciela Banuelos was arrested for being in possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and an outstanding warrant. Both Hernandez and Banuelos were later booked into the VC Jail.

Residential Burglary

On Wednesday, September 9th, at 1:49 p.m., patrol officers were dispatched to a residential burglary in progress in the 100 block of Barry Drive. As patrol officers responded, a plain clothes detective who was in the area on an unrelated investigation, arrived in the area of the call and saw the two suspects fleeing the area. Once the patrol officers were in the area of Rocklite and Ventura Avenue, they began to search for the suspects. A police K9 was use during the search, and after a few minutes, the first suspect, Jose Vera, was located and apprehended by the K9. As the first suspect was taken into custody, additional patrol officers arrived in the area and began searching for the second suspect. After a lengthy search for the second suspect, Menahem Aguilar, the K9 located him hiding in a yard.

Both suspects were transported to VCMC for the injuries received during the arrests. They were both booked into VC Jail. No one else

Robbery

On Wednesday, August 12th, at 12:13 a.m., the VPD received a call from a victim claiming to be stabbed.

Officers arrived and learned that Christopher Cabrey and Sean Wachman were leaving the Circle K store at the corner of Main Street and Laurel Street when two male suspects confronted them. The suspects demanded the victim’s money and property. Unprovoked, the suspects began to attack Cabrey and Wachman. The suspects fled the area in a red sedan with one of the victim’s property. During the attack, Cabrey was stabbed. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspects.

Cabrey was transported to the VCMC and received treatment for a serious, but non-life threatening stab wound. Wachman was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Detectives conducted follow-up and identified Jose Ruiz as one of the suspects. On August 15th at 7:30 p.m., a patrol officer located Ruiz on Main Street in downtown Ventura and arrested him without incident. Ruiz was booked at the VC Jail. The second suspect is still outstanding.

Possession of a Loaded Firearm

On Sunday, August 16th, at 12:10 a.m., a patrol officer observed a vehicle driving in the area of Kimball Road and Highway 126 overpass. The officer conducted a vehicle stop for an equipment violation and contacted the driver, later identified as Salvador Gutierrez. There was also a female passenger in the vehicle.

The officer developed information to conduct a search of the vehicle. During the search of the vehicle, a loaded handgun with an extended magazine was found concealed underneath the driver’s seat.

Gutierrez was taken into custody without incident. He was arrested and booked into the VC Jail. The female passenger was released from the scene.

Battery of an Officer

On Tuesday, August 18th, at 5:41 p.m., patrol officers responded to a reported domestic in the 100 block of South California Street. As the first patrol officer arrived on scene and attempted to contact the involved people, Anthony Mosqueda, who was an involved person, fled from the officer. The officer chased after him and the foot pursuit led the officer onto the Promenade area of the beach. As the officer pursued Mosqueda, a female who was later identified as Anthony’s sister, Kathleen Mosqueda, shoved the officer in an attempt to stop the officer’s pursuit of her brother.

As the officer stopped to contact Kathleen and determine why she had pushed him, her boyfriend Juan Loaza, kicked the officer from behind. At that point, the officer realized the contact wasn’t accidental, and he attempted to detain both Loaza and Kathleen Mosqueda.  Both of them became combative with him. As he attempted to handcuff Loaza, Kathleen continued to attack him. Once Loaza was in custody, the officer arrested Kathleen and placed her in handcuffs. As he did this, Loaza who was handcuffed, ran away from the officer, and the officer caught him.

As this was occurring, other officers who were also in the area captured the original outstanding suspect, Anthony Mosqueda. He was treated at VCMC and later booked at VC Jail. Kathleen Mosqueda and Juan Loaza were both arrested and booked at VC Jail.

The officer was also treated at VCMC for minor injuries he received during the incident.

Armed Robbery

On Wednesday, August 19th, at 1:50 a.m., the VPD received a call from the two victims reporting they had been robbed at gunpoint in the 800 block of Caliente Street.

Officers learned the victims were sitting in their parked vehicle when the suspect approached them. The suspect demanded the victims’ wallets and cell phone. The victim hesitated, and the suspect pointed a gun at one of the victims. The victim gave the suspect their belongings and the suspect fled the area in a light colored sedan that was waiting nearby.

Later, officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a mechanical violation near the intersection of Inyo Street and Sacramento Street. Officers determined that the driver, Vincent Hernandez, was a Parolee at large with an active warrant. Officers took Hernandez into custody and searched the vehicle, where they located a replica handgun under the driver’s seat and noticed that Hernandez closely matched the description of the suspect in the robbery from earlier.

Resisting Officers

On Thursday, August 20th, at 4:54 p.m., patrol officers responded to an apartment in the 1200 block of South Petit regarding David Latida, making threats at his ex-girlfriend’s family’s residence. As officers arrived at the residence and began their investigation, Latida walked out of the apartment. When officers attempted to talk with him, he fled from them and ran back inside. The officers pursued him into the residence, and as they caught him, he continued to resist the officers. During the struggle, a loaded firearm fell from the Latida’s possession. Latida was taken into custody.

Residential Burglary Arrest

On Saturday, August 22nd, at 6:09 p.m., the VPD received several calls from numerous homeowners in the 400 block of Seaward Avenue, reporting that neighbors were physically detaining a subject found inside of a residence. Officers arrived on scene and took custody of the subject, later identified as the suspect, Matthew Scott.

During the investigation officers learned that the victim homeowner had exited his residence and went into his backyard, leaving the front door unlocked. While in the backyard, Scott entered the residence through the front door, then leaned out from inside a back bedroom window and looked at the victim. The victim went back into his residence and physically forced Scott out to the front yard. Several neighbors came to the aid of the victim and helped him detain Scott until officers arrived on scene.

While being detained, Scott struck his head on a wall and sustained a minor injury to his head. He was arrested and transported by AMR ambulance to VCMC for treatment of his injuries. After being medically cleared, Scott will be booked into the VC Jail.

Stolen Vehicle Arrest

On Monday, August 24th, at 11:49 p.m., the victim contacted the VPD to report his vehicle had been stolen from in front of his downtown residence sometime during the night. Later that night, just before midnight, a patrol officer observed the vehicle travelling eastbound on Telephone Road with no headlights. The Officer conducted a traffic stop and learned the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the day.

Officers contacted the suspect, and 3 juveniles in the stolen vehicle.  During the investigation officers learned that the suspect, Brandon Costanza, had picked up the three juveniles in the stolen vehicle earlier in the day.

Costanza was booked at the VC Jail.  The 3 juveniles were issued citations for curfew violations and released to their parents.

The vehicle was returned to the owner at the scene with only minor damage.

Armed Robbery Arrest

On Tuesday, August 18th, at 1:44 a.m., the VPD received a call referencing an armed robbery that had just occurred at the Victoria Motel, located at 2350 South Victoria Avenue. Patrol officers responded and met with three victims. The victims reported that they were all sharing a room when they were awoken by somebody knocking on their hotel room door. One of the victims got up and as he answered the door, all three suspects forced their way in to the room. Once inside the room, one of the suspects had a gun, and while he held all three victims at gunpoint, the other two suspects took the victim’s property.

At the conclusion of the robbery, the suspects exited the room with the victim’s property, got in to separate vehicles and then fled. The responding officers reviewed surveillance video and identified Charles Barnum as one of the suspects. A few hours later, a patrol officer spotted Barnum driving on Victoria Ave. and he was arrested without incident.

Major Crimes and Street Crimes Detectives assisted with the investigation and identified Joshua Solorzano and John Sevillano as the other two suspects. Officers located both of the outstanding suspects in Ventura and arrested them without incident. All three suspects were booked at the VC Jail for robbery. Nobody was injured as

Sexual Abuse
On the 7th of December, 2014, VPD Dispatch received a report of lewd conduct with a child that occurred in the 800 Block of North Ventura Avenue. A juvenile victim reported to a patrol officer that a man who was known to the victim and his family had sexually assaulted him. The victim was playing outside his house when the suspect picked him up and took him into another residence, where the assault occurred. The suspect was known to the victim as, “Don Pepe.”

Ventura Police detectives began a follow up investigation and identified the suspect as Jose Morales. Once the evidence was fully processed, the results further supported the victim’s statement.

On Tuesday, August 8th, Jose Morales was arrested by the VPD in the 200 Block of East Main Street and booked at the VC Jail.

Vehicle Pursuit
On Tuesday, August 4th, at 2:50 p.m., detectives with the VPD Street Crimes Unit developed information about a wanted subject, Robert Reeves, in the 1200 block of Meta Street. VPD observed a vehicle, driven by Donald Reyes, arrive and pick up Reeves. As the officers attempted to stop this vehicle it fled at a high rate of speed.

The vehicle drove recklessly to the residential area of Channel Drive and Evergreen Drive. Officers lost sight of the vehicle and set up a perimeter.

At  3:06 p.m., residents on Borchard Drive reported seeing a suspicious male running through yards and was last seen jumping into a backyard in the 2600 block of Ocean Avenue. Officers found the suspect driver, Reyes, attempting to hide in the back yard. Reyes was taken into custody without further incident.

Officers located Reeves and a second subject, Rocky Mattley hiding in a converted garage at a residence in the 3800 block of Paloma Drive. Both were taken into custody without further incident. Reyes, Reeves, and Mattley were booked.

Two handguns were located in the garage where Reeves and Mattley were found and additional charges are pending.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle
On Sunday, August 9th, at 3:47 p.m., a patrol officer was driving in the 2600 block of Thompson Boulevard when he observed a suspicious vehicle near the Wendy’s restaurant. The officer went to contact the driver of the vehicle, Estrella Martinez, who had parked and fled from the vehicle before the officer was able to make contact with her. She was located outside of the restaurant and identified by the officer as being the driver. The investigation revealed that the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the day from Port Hueneme and had different license plates on the vehicle.

Martinez was arrested and booked into the VC Jail. The vehicle was impounded.

Possession of a Loaded Firearm
On Sunday, August 9th, at 7:46 p.m., a patrol officer observed a vehicle occupied by several subjects who were acting suspicious. The vehicle also had expired registration.  The officer activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop and as the vehicle came to a stop near the corner of Center Street and Ventura Avenue, one of the vehicle’s occupants, later identified as a 17-year-old male juvenile, exited the vehicle and fled.  The vehicle quickly accelerated away from the area. The officer, and a second back up officer, chased the male juvenile and observed him throw an object onto a nearby rooftop.  After a brief foot pursuit, the juvenile was caught and detained.

Officers searched the rooftop and found a loaded handgun. The male juvenile was arrested and lodged into juvenile hall.

Robbery
On Wednesday, August 12th, at 12:13 a.m., the VPD received a call from a victim reporting a stabbing.

Officers arrived and learned the victims, Christopher Cabrey and Sean Wachman, were leaving the Circle K store at the corner of Main Street and Laurel Street when two male suspects, white males in their twenties, confronted them. The suspects demanded the victims’ money and property and then attacked Cabrey and Wachman. The suspects fled the area. During the attack, Cabrey was stabbed. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspects.

Cabrey was transported to the VCMC and received treatment for a serious, but non-life threatening stab wound. Wachman was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Stabbing with Arrest
On Wednesday, August 12th, at 4:32 p.m., the VPD received a call from Sage Ford. Ford said he had been stabbed and beaten while he was at Plaza Park, and after the incident, he fled from the park to a nearby street where he called. Officers responded to the 200 block of South Laurel Street where they found Ford and confirmed he had been stabbed and beaten.

Officers located the suspect, Derrick Dawson, at Plaza Park and detained him. Dawson had stabbed and beaten Ford because he had caused a disturbance earlier in the day at the park with one of the Dawson’s friends.

Dawson was transported to VC Jail where he was booked. Ford was initially treated by AMR and then transported to VCMC where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Armed Robbery
On Thursday, August 13th, at 8:12 p.m., the suspect, a Hispanic male, walked into the Chevron Gas Station located at 2314 East Thompson Boulevard and approached the cashier. He showed the employee a handgun and demanded the money from the cash register. The employee gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money, and the suspect ran out of the business. He was last seen running into the neighborhood on the south side of the business. Responding officers checked the area, however the suspect was not located.

Stolen Vehicle Arrest

On Wednesday, April 15th, at 10:30 p.m., an officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of Victoria Avenue and Telephone Road. Prior to stopping the vehicle, a records check indicated that it had been reported stolen earlier in the day from Oxnard. As the officer continued to follow the vehicle and wait for additional resources, the driver, Scott Hernandez, parked in the area of Chalmette Avenue and Telephone Road. Hernandez then exited the vehicle and ran into a residential area.

Hernandez was found hiding in some bushes in the 5000 Block of Basie Street. Hernandez was taken into custody and booked at the VC Jail. The vehicle was later returned undamaged to the registered owner.

Residential Burglary Arrest

On Wednesday, April 15th, at 6:36 p.m., the VPD received a call from a witness reporting a possible burglary in progress to a neighbor’s residence in the 100 block of S. Santa Rosa Street. The caller reported seeing a subject, later identified as Nhuom Le, loitering outside the residence before entering through an unlocked rear door.

When officers confirmed Le was still inside, they began giving him announcements requesting that he exit the residence. Initially, Le was uncooperative and refused to come outside. After 10 minutes, and additional announcements by officers, Le exited the residence and was taken into custody without further incident.

Officers learned during the investigation that prior to entering the victim’s residence, Le was seen prowling around the yard and trying doors and windows of a neighboring residence.

Stabbing Arrest

On Friday, April 17th, at 9:40 p.m., the VPD received a call of a male subject refusing to leave the Total Life Christian Church located in the 600 block of North Ventura Avenue. As patrol officers arrived, the suspect, Camron Johnson, charged at Joseph Brown and stabbed him multiple times. Officers immediately intervened and took Johnson into custody without further incident.

Brown was transported to VCMC with non-life threatening injuries. Johnson was booked at VC Jail.

Armed Robbery

On Sunday, April 19th, at 9:30 p.m., officers responded to an armed robbery that had just occurred at the Arco Am/Pm located at 5669 Valentine Road.

Officers learned that a Hispanic male suspect in his mid-twenties had entered the store and confronted the clerk. The suspect demanded money from the register while brandishing a handgun. The clerk complied with the suspect’s demands and surrendered an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect fled the area and was last seen traveling west on Valentine Road.

Ventura Police officers searched the surrounding area but were unable to locate the suspect. The clerk was not injured during the commission of this crime.

Possession of a Loaded Firearm

On Monday, April 20th, at 10:45 p.m., The VPD received a call of subjects trespassing on the property of a Motel 6 on 3075 Johnson Drive. Officers responded and contacted 3 male subjects in one of the motel rooms.

During the contact, officers conducted a pat down search for weapons. One of the male juvenile suspects, who was acting suspicious, wouldn’t comply with the officer’s orders. During the search a loaded handgun was found concealed in his waistband.

The male juvenile was found to be on probation with weapon and gang terms. The juvenile is known to associate with Oxnard gangs. The juvenile was arrested and lodged at Juvenile Hall.

Vandalism

On Wednesday, April 22nd, at 9:48 p.m., officers responded to a call regarding a vandalism at the Ralphs on 1776 S. Victoria Avenue. As officers arrived, they found the suspect, Nathan Journigan, leaving the area and he was detained. During the investigation, Journigan violently resisted arrest. While being taken into custody, his pit bull attacked one of the officers. The dog did not release his bite on the officer, and the dog was shot by another officer.

The injured officer was taken to VCMC, treated and later released. The dog was taken from the scene by VC Animal Control. Read Professor Scamp for his comments regarding this incident.

Prowling

On Thursday, April 23rd, at 4:00 p.m., the VPD received a call from a citizen reporting a subject prowling in the area of Bonita Circuit and Seaview Avenue. The subject, Jovanny Hernandez, was said to be looking over fences and into yards of residences.

Officers located Hernandez riding a bicycle on Seahorse Avenue. He was detained and positively identified as the suspect. When officers tried to arrest him, Hernandez resisted arrest. After a brief struggle with officers, he was taken into custody without further incident.

During a search of his property, officers located items in his backpack commonly used for committing burglaries to vehicles. Hernandez was transported to the VC Jail and booked.

Possession of a Firearm

 On Friday, April 24th, at 5:10 a.m., the VPD received a call of gunshots heard in the parking lot of the Ventura Isle Marina. Responding officers contacted Robert Souza walking in that general area. While searching Souza, officers found a loaded handgun concealed in his front jacket pocket along with a loaded spare magazine. Further investigation revealed that Souza had fired several rounds in the air prior to being contacted by the officers.

Officers searched the area for gun shot victims but did not locate any. Souza was booked at the VC Jail.