– Several agencies in Ventura County arrested a 46-year-old man after a long investigation for selling narcotics for cash
according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office
VCSO agents started an investigation in March and later obtained a search warrant for the 46-year-old's property
Detectives later contacted and arrested the Oxnard man on April 29 before authorities searched his residence at the 1400 block of Cedar Street in the city
packaging material consistent with narcotic sales and over $74,000 in cash at his home
VCSO agents charged the 46-year-old with the following charges and subsequently booked him into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility:
The Oxnard man awaits trial and VCDA authorities opted for one count of HS 11351 and another count of HS 11378 due to the large drug amounts sold
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Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, was charged with murder with special circumstances Monday.
“Mr. Garcia Aquino murdered 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernandez on March, 28,” Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman announced at a news conference.
California
Law enforcement found a body in Oxnard that matches the description of a 13-year-old boy who failed to return home to the San Fernando Valley from a trip to Lancaster, police say.
Garcia Aquino was a youth travel soccer coach with the Hurricane Valley boys soccer club in the Sylmar area, and worked with different age divisions, according to authorities.
Los Angeles Police Department detectives working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation recovered the teen’s body beside a desolate stretch of Ventura County roadway on Wednesday.
Authorities declined to state the manner in which the boy was killed. However, the charges against Garcia Aquino include a special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission or attempted commission of lewd acts with a child, making him eligible for the death penalty.
“We have recently instituted a new death penalty policy in which we will be evaluating whether or not the death penalty is appropriate for this particular case,” Hochman said.
Hernandez’s family had reported the teen missing on Sunday, March 30, after he failed to return home from visiting Garcia Aquino at the coach’s Lancaster residence.
The teen, who lived in Sun Valley, had taken a train to the Antelope Valley the day before he was reported missing. When the boy’s brother tried to phone him later that day, the coach answered the boy’s cellphone and said the boy was busy and could not talk.
According to the family and investigators, Daniel Hernandez, the boy’s father, later called the coach and insisted he drop the teen off near the family’s home.
A foot search by LAPD investigators and FBI agents led to the discovery of the boy’s body alongside North Harbor Boulevard, north of West Gonzales Road. Investigators did not specify the cause of death.
Authorities also discovered that Garcia Aquino had been investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department last year for allegations of an unrelated sexual assault.
Music
Federal prosecutors have filed additional counts of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution against music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
Last Wednesday, as investigators searched for the teenager, Garcia Aquino was charged with assault with intent to commit rape in connection with that Feb. 22, 2024 incident. The coach allegedly “took advantage of a position of trust and confidence in committing the assault,” according to criminal records filed in court. Garcia Aquino missed an arraignment scheduled for Monday.
“Mr. Garcia Aquino faces at least life without the possibility of parole on the murder charge and six years in prison with respect to the felony count of assault with intent to commit a lewd act,” Hochman said. “These cases are tragic, and the Hernandez family, you have our deepest sympathy for a loss that words cannot even begin to describe.”
Authorities released a booking photo Monday of Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, who has been charged with murder. (Jessica Foster / Courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department) Multiple law enforcement sources who said they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case said that Garcia Aquino was an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador.
Garcia Aquino was also the subject of an LAPD investigation into sexual assault of a minor in 2022 but was never charged because at that point the alleged victim declined to testify against him, according to multiple law enforcement sources.
On Thursday, the family of the boy held a vigil in the area where his body was discovered. “We had that person at our home,” his sister Alejandra told KTLA through a translator. “He even helped us look for Oscar.”
Gladys Bautista, the boy’s mother, wore a soccer jersey and said her son “didn’t need to be treated like an animal. That was my son,” she said in Spanish.
Once the darling of alternative energy advocates
the electric vehicles are now the unlikely target of political violence
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he was seeking additional victims in the child sexual abuse case
Luna said that case stemmed from accusations that Garcia Aquino “befriended a Sylmar family who allowed their juvenile son to stay with him at his residence in Palmdale
The family subsequently filed a criminal report with the Palmdale Sheriff station alleging sexual abuse of their child.” The victim was a 16-year-old boy
detectives learned that there was another unrelated child sexual abuse case being handled by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill division involving Garcia Aquino
The sheriff encouraged people to come forward and said immigration status is not an issue
Hochman said the reason for the delay in filing charges in the 2024 assault was because such crimes must be thoroughly investigated
“You have to actually go through all the different parts of an investigation before you ever get to an arrest warrant,” Hochman said
prosecutors charged Hernandez with another crime — one felony count each of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense and lewd act upon a child 14 or 15 years old
Prosecutors alleged Garcia Aquino sexually assaulted a teenager at his then-home in Sylmar on Dec
Richard Winton is an investigative crime writer for the Los Angeles Times and part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2011. Known as @lacrimes on Twitter, during almost 30 years at The Times he also has been part of the breaking news staff that won Pulitzers in 1998, 2004 and 2016.
Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant.
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(CNN) — A woman who vanished more than six decades ago in Wisconsin has been found and as it turns out
Audrey Jean Backeberg, 82, went missing on July 7, 1962, from Reedsburg, a small town about 60 miles northwest of Madison, Wisconsin. At the time, she was 20 and another person claimed she and Backeberg hitchhiked to the state capital where they took a Greyhound bus to Indianapolis, Indiana, according to her original missing person’s report
Backeberg walked around the corner away from the bus stop
Investigators from the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said they “pursued numerous leads” trying to find Backeberg for years but despite their efforts
the sheriff’s office put a detective on the case for a fresh set of eyes as part of an ongoing review of cold case files
So paper, by paper, Detective Isaac Hanson took another look at evidence, reinterviewed witnesses and “uncovered new insights,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Thanks to an Ancestry.com account that belonged to Backeberg’s sister, Hanson was able to review death records, census reports and “all kinds of data,” he told CNN affiliate WISN
the detective found an out-of-state address and asked the local sheriff’s office to pay it a visit
Hanson found himself on the phone with Backeberg for 45 minutes having a conversation he promised to keep private
“She had her reasons for leaving,” Hanson told WISN
moved on from things and kind of did her own thing and led her life,” he added
CNN has reached out to the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office for comment
The sheriff’s office concluded Backeberg’s disappearance was her own choice and not the result of any criminal activity or foul play
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network
(This story has been updated to include new information.)
The 60-year-old Los Angeles man who suffered serious injuries April 26 while crossing a major intersection in Oxnard died the next day
Avelino Orozco succumbed to injuries he received when he was struck by a car while crossing the intersection of Oxnard Boulevard and Gonzales Road around 8 p.m.
according to a news release by the Oxnard Police Department
crossed the road outside the crosswalk when a car struck and injured him
Officers and emergency medical personnel arrived to find the man in the roadway
He was taken to Ventura County Medical Center where he was initially listed in critical condition
The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office later provided the man's name as Avelino Orozco Marroquin
The cause of death in the accident was found to be multiple blunt force injuries
stayed at the scene and cooperated wtih officers
Traffic officers' initial investigation indicated that the driver was headed eastbound on Gonzales Road and entered the intersection with Oxnard Boulevard on a green light
The driver struck the pedestrian just east of the railroad tracks
Officers said the man was believed to be trying to get to buckets of flowers left on the median
Neither speed nor impairment by alcohol or drugs appeared to be a factor in the crash
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Alexis Arellano at 805-385-7749 or via email at alexis.arellano@oxnardpd.org
The Oxnard College Theatre Department Presents “Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery” — directed by Nicholas C
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French
All performances of this comedic mystery will be in the beautiful Oxnard College Performing Arts Building
Tickets: $11 dollars for Credit Card or $10 cash at the door. You may also purchase your tickets online in advance
Oxnard College does not discriminate on the basis of race
El Colegio de Oxnard no discrimina por motivos de raza
(805) 678-5800
ocinfo@vcccd.edu
doesn’t view his investigation into CBS as “a threat” to the broadcaster
Sitting down with CNBC host Sara Eisen at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference in Los Angeles on Monday, Carr called the federal inquiry into “60 Minutes” over its October interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris a “penalty that’s in the Communications Act.” The Federal Communications Commission is investigating whether the program engaged in so-called “news distortion.”
Carr stressed that trust in the media is at an all-time low
“What we’ve seen is you’ve got national news media — ABC
CBS — and they’re exercising more and more control over those local TV stations,” Carr said
“I don’t think that’s a good thing for the country
CBS is not the only national broadcaster accused of news distortion
Carr took to X to accuse NBC of “misleading the American public” by allegedly styling Kilmar Armando Abrego as a regular “Maryland man.”
“Comcast knows that federal law requires its licensed operations to serve the public interest,” Carr said in his post
When pressed on the NBC allegations on Monday
Carr claimed that local stations have told him they want “more freedom to cover the issues that matter in their local communities,” and that the so-called penalties aim to provide local stations with such liberties
the relationships that they have with the national programmers (have) been really constrained
so that’s an issue that we’re looking at,” Carr said
Despite accusing the larger broadcasters of “controlling so much of what goes on over the airwaves,” the FCC chair did not explain how pulling licenses would benefit local stations
local TV stations are permitted to carry a network’s programming
the FCC grants local stations eight-year licenses
It’s been decades since the FCC pulled a license — and “that’s part of the issue,” Carr claimed
(This story has been updated with results from the April 15 council meeting.)
The Oxnard City Council unanimously approved a plan for 990 residential units on about 150 acres of farmland during its meeting April 15
The massive Teal Club development is planned for property mostly between Teal Club Road and Doris Avenue
Housing at the site has been part of the city’s general plan since 2004
The parcel is within Oxnard's City Urban Restriction Boundary
meaning it is not subject to the county's Save Open Space and Agricultural Resource
"This has been a project in the works for a number of years," said Kenneth Rozell
bike paths and other amenities that could also be used by residents of surrounding neighborhoods
and bring road improvements that allow for better traffic circulation in the area
The development agreement designates 15% of the units as affordable based on median income limits for Ventura County established by the state
The council was presented with three options and chose the first with a 7-0 vote
The option that passed includes an off-street bike lane around the perimeter
water fountains and promotion of all-electric units
A second option had proposed on-street bike lanes
no fountains and no promotion of electric energy
The developers said the requirements would add extra costs that would have made the project economically unfeasible
The unincorporated land will need to be annexed into city limits as part of the project
Annexation will include an 11-acre strip of commercial buildings and some residences north of the airport that would otherwise become an isolated county island
Community members had raised concerns about the project in letters to the city and during a public town hall meeting on March 27
Some said they didn't want increased traffic on roads and impacts on sewer systems
Others said they were worried that leaded fuel emissions from the airport would hurt mothers and children in the future neighborhood
a planning consultant who has guided a number of large developments around the county and represents the Borchards
one of the four property owners and the family leading the current development effort
said the Teal Club area is well-situated for housing
It builds houses right where there are already buses
shopping,” Hardgrave said prior to the meeting
said the Teal Club site is one of the last large chunks of land available in Oxnard's sphere of influence to meet state housing requirements that isn't impacted by SOAR
Another is the South Shore area in south Oxnard
the affordable units that make up 15% of the project would be for-rent apartments
The remaining housing would likely be attached and detached homes for sale
The overall specific plan includes commercial uses and a business park
The council's vote on the proposal included the Teal Club Specific Plan
The next step for the project will be the annexation process through the Local Agency Formation Commission
The developer will then come back with tentative tract maps and move forward with development of the site
2025 for our Annual Juried Student Art Show reception at the McNish Gallery of Art from 5:00pm - 7:00pm
An awards presentation will take place at 5:30pm followed by musical performance by local band
Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/oxnardcollegearts/
– An Orcutt intersection is getting increased attention from CHP in response to several complaints about reckless driving and excessive speeding
(continuing from Orcutt Rd.) may look like a quiet intersection
but officials caution drivers to obey driving rules
CHP has made a surprising number of stops for speed violations and running the stop signs at this intersection
once for running the stop sign at the intersection and once for speeding on Rice Ranch
Officers say most of the violations they encountered were in excess of 60 miles per hour in this 45-mph zone
minor speeding violations come with a fine
repeated or severe speeding violations can lead to steeper fines
Drivers are advised to follow safe driving practices no matter what time it is
and pedestrians are advised to look both ways when crossing the street and maintain good peripheral awareness
Click here for updates on this story
VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas (KTVT) — The search for a murder suspect in Van Zandt County was called off just after noon on Monday with the suspect still at large
The sheriff’s office said in a news release Monday morning that deputies were searching for Trevor McEuen
who was charged with capital murder in neighboring Kaufman County
McEuen was charged in death of Aaron Martinez
Deputies were looking for McEuen near US Highway 80 east of Grand Saline
Video from CBS News Texas Chopper showed at least a dozen law enforcement officers and vehicles in the area
The death of Aaron Martinez Relatives told CBS News Texas after his death that Martinez moved to Forney to open a horse training ranch
told Martinez that Hispanics were not welcome
Incident reports showed that Martinez had safety concerns dating back to at least July of 2022
when he told police that McEuen pointed a gun at him
fired at his property and threatened his employees
McEuen’s father later told police Martinez had also shot guns in their direction
Arrest documents showed that McEuen admitted to killing Martinez
CBS News Texas requested comment Monday from two of the attorneys listed as representing McEuen in the murder trial
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A man was shot multiple times in south Oxnard Friday night
The incident was reported shortly after 10 p.m
with the block extending east of Perkins Road
The 25-year-old Oxnard resident was found with multiple gunshot wounds and taken by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center
and he was described as being in stable condition
Photos posted on social medial showed officers had cordoned off the alley behind apartment buildings on the street as they searched for evidence
Police officials said the motive for the shooting remained unknown
Click here for updates on this story
CAPE CORAL, Florida (WBBH) — A semitractor driver
husband and father of three is recovering in the hospital after his truck rolled over early Saturday morning
This happened at the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and Gleason Parkway in Cape Coral
Gulf Coast News spoke exclusively to the woman who helped keep that father calm
Krystle Nieves was on her way to Downtown Cape Coral with her husband when she saw something scary
A Pepsi semitractor flipped over Saturday around 1 a.m
“I just started talking to him,” Nieves said
“Just to make sure he was okay and conscious
I’ve been in the medical field since I was 18 years old
so it’s almost a natural response when you see somebody hurting.”
and she asked about his family to keep him calm
“I just asked where is he from,” she said
He said he was married to his beautiful wife
“I’m just so happy he’s OK
and he gets to go home to his wife and kids,” Nieves said
She said this one really struck a chord with her
and I worry about her all the time,” she said
“I hear horrible stories of accidents with truckers all of the time.”
an overwhelming sense of gratefulness for the men and women that got him out of there and treated him.”
She also thanked Krystle for keeping her husband calm
We have reached out to the Cape Coral Police Department to learn how this crash happened
(This story has been updated with new information from the CHP and an item from Port Hueneme police.)
Wrong-way crash slows northbound 101 in OxnardA wrong-way driver tangled with a semitrailer on northbound Highway 101 in Oxnard during the Friday morning commute on April 18
The driver was ultimately arrested on suspicion of DUI
The accident was reported shortly after 9:15 a.m
A 37-year-old Oxnard woman driving a Chevrolet Equinox headed the wrong way down the ramp and was driving southbound in the northbound lanes
When the driver realized she was going the wrong way
A big rig driving northbound in the right lane hit the Chevrolet while the U-turn was in process
The Chevrolet spun out of control and wound up in the median
slowed down to avoid the Chevrolet as it was spinning
The truck was rear-ended by a Jeep Grand Cherokee
The drivers of the Ford and the Jeep suffered minor injuries
The Chevrolet driver declined medical aid before she was arrested on suspicion of DUI
The crash blocked lanes left debris on the roadway
CHP officials reported that all lanes had opened by around 10:15 a.m
A juvenile was stabbed in the leg April 17 during a fight among other youths inside a fast-food restaurant in Thousand Oaks
Deputies responded to a report of a fight in the 400 block of North Moorpark Road around 9:30 p.m.
The sheriff's office is contracted by the city of Thousand Oaks for police services
Karol said the attack appeared to be gang-related
Five juveniles allegedly chased another youth into the eatery where the stabbing took place
The victim suffered a minor stab wound and was transported to the hospital
The others involved in the fight fled before deputies arrived
No arrests had been made as of the morning of April 18
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Thousand Oaks station at 805-494-8200
A suspect allegedly struck a police officer with a bicycle he had thrown while trying to flee in Port Hueneme on April 16
Officers had responded to the Ralphs supermarket at 615 W
the Port Hueneme Police Department said in a news release
they saw the possible suspect on a bicycle
later identified as a 24-year-old Oxnard resident
he jumped off the bike and threw it at the officers
The suspect then ran into the nearby water canal
He ultimately surrendered without further incident
The officer hit by the bike suffered minor injuries
The stolen merchandise was returned to the store
The man was arrested on suspicion of felony resisting and several misdemeanors
He remained in custody April 18 with bail set at $80,000
Wes Moore appears to be everywhere at the moment — popping up on “The View,” delivering a commencement address at a historically Black university in battleground Pennsylvania and
delivering an address to South Carolina Democrats
who could be pivotal in determining the Democratic Party’s nominee in 2028
The rising star is part of a chorus of Democratic leaders putting forward a vision for how the party should take on Donald Trump as the president plows ahead with his second-term agenda
“We need to be a country that really gets to know each other again and works together and serves together,” Moore told CNN in an interview following his Sunday commencement address at Lincoln University
where he emphasized bringing Americans from different political ideologies together through a shared commitment to service
That cheerful outlook comes at a time of deep dissatisfaction among Democrats with the state of the party’s leadership and approach to countering Trump. A recent CNN poll found that just 38% of Democratic-aligned Americans approve of their party’s leadership
Moore — Maryland’s first Black governor and just the third Black person elected governor of any state — seemed uninterested in attacking fellow Democratic leaders directly
but acknowledged the widespread anger among the party’s voters
“I think a lot of the frustration is justified
I don’t see how you can look at the situation that many people exist in
Moore suggested the best way out for Democrats is to lean into what he describes as a “culture of repair” to connect with people who have felt left behind by the status quo
But his vision for moving everyone forward includes a host of policy prescriptions that are arguably easier to advance in a Democratic-controlled state than one with divided government
he championed Maryland’s accelerated minimum-wage increase
mass pardons for cannabis convictions and increased taxes on the wealthy as responsive to the moment
Moore leaned into a sense of national pride
a message that is not a point of emphasis for many Democrats
The combat veteran told graduating seniors that “patriotism is a responsibility of a lifetime” as he recounted the legacy of his grandfather
Thomas was forced to leave the US as a child when Moore’s great-grandfather
fled with the family to his native Jamaica to escape the violence of the Ku Klux Klan
you find lessons about not just national pride or national spirit
but lessons about what it means to be an American,” Moore said
Moore’s grandfather ultimately returned to the US out of a belief the country “would be incomplete” without him
“Loving your country doesn’t mean lying about its history,” Moore said in his address
“Our country is currently divided into two camps
but between those who use patriotism as a club to beat others and those who feel ashamed to bear the flag
between those who think loving America means hating half the people in it and those who allow cynicism about our nation’s history to obscure their aspirations.”
who recently secured a new fighter jet mission for an Air National Guard base in her state
When asked by CNN whether Moore saw room to work with the White House
he cast doubt on the idea that the president and his allies are willing partners
“I believe partnership has to go both ways. And the thing that we continue to see from this administration has just been an all-out assault on the state of Maryland,” Moore said before lamenting the thousands of federal workers in the state impacted by what he sees as the haphazard cuts in the president‘s first 100 days
While Moore faces reelection next year in Maryland
talk has already turned to a potential 2028 run for the 46-year-old governor
During an appearance on ABC’s “The View” last week
“I’m not running” when asked about a presidential bid in the next cycle
Pressed on whether that meant he was ruling out launching a campaign in 2028
Moore said his focus “is exclusively on making sure this is going to be Maryland’s decade.”
“I think anybody who is positioning themselves in 2025 for 2028 is not taking 2025 seriously,” he said
Moore will travel to the key early primary state of South Carolina to headline a dinner for the state Democratic Party
Moore is expected to emphasize the significance of strong leadership
according to an early excerpt of prepared remarks provided to CNN
our job is not to simply go into hiding until there’s another election
The measure of our success will be how we choose to lead,” Moore is expected to say
(CNN) — Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka has won her first title since becoming a mother
7-5 in the final of L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo
returned to competitive tennis at the start of 2024 after giving birth to her daughter in July 2023
“Kinda ironic to win my first trophy back on the surface that I thought was my worst,” Osaka wrote on X following her win
“That’s one of my favorite things about life though
Thanks to everyone accompanying me on this journey
I know it’s turbulent but it’s also really fun and I’m grateful.”
It is the first clay-court title of Osaka’s career and comes after a promising start to the year was derailed by injuries
Osaka’s win will also push her back into the world’s top 50 for the first time since returning to tennis
The 27-year-old revealed last year that she was still adjusting to playing tennis following the birth of her daughter
saying she didn’t “feel like I’m in my body.”
Osaka has previously taken extended breaks from tennis to prioritize her mental health
The Japanese star is next set to compete at the WTA 1000 Italian Open which begins on Wednesday
Click here for updates on this story
NORTH TEXAS (KTVT) — A North Texas fire department is offering a reward in the search for its missing firehouse dog
The Midlothian Fire Department said their beloved dog
went missing from Fire Station 1 on Friday
“Riggs is part of our family here at Midlothian Fire
and we’re hoping the community can help us bring him home safely,” a post from the fire department read
Beloved fixture at the station Riggs has been a fixture at the Midlothian Fire Station #1 since firefighters rescued him three years ago
Riggs now has special places throughout the station
where Riggs would watch the movie of the day with his human co-workers
Firefighters describe the long-time station dog as both a sweetheart and mischievous
He’s known to steal steaks and other food from the kitchen
Those areas have gone untouched since Friday
Midlothian Fire Chief Dale McCaskill said the station isn’t the same without its four-legged member
We just want him to be back in it [Riggs’ bed]
it’s obviously a void for us,” McCaskill said
hasn’t just become a part of his life but brings comfort to firefighters at the station
he became a part of the family,” McCaskill said
“He’s always excited when they return back from a call
Anybody that owns a dog knows they meet you at the door with the same enthusiasm every time
and so that’s been a relief for our firefighters after a stressful call.”
Fire Captain Austin Ullrich said it’s not the same without the Lab close by his side
he’s usually right here in my office,” Ullrich said
“You might have a bad day on shift or off shift
You come in from something that happened at home
and you just can tell that he’s probably lying with somebody that needs him the most at that time.”
Vanished after the storms Riggs went missing Friday afternoon after storms swept through the area
Firefighters last saw him at Station #1 around 2:45 p.m
A dog handler who has her own dog that tracks other dogs donated her time to search on Sunday afternoon
She tracked Riggs’ scent from the fire station to about 200 yards away near Highway 287 and then it disappeared
“We assume that somebody may have just seen Riggs out in the storm and felt like they needed to protect him
put him in their vehicle and didn’t realize it was our dog,” McCaskill said
“All we’re trying to do now is just get the word out
we would love to see Riggs come home.”
The pup has his own fire station badge on that reads
“Riggs – Midlothian Fire Department.” He’s also microchipped
Chief McCaskill appreciates the community’s support
“We’ve had people obviously out driving around
There’s been a lot of suggestions about different organizations that can help find dogs
so we’ve got a lot of eyes and ears out there right now trying to find Riggs,” McCaskill said
and we feel like we’ve lost a member of it at this point.”
Reward offered for Riggs’ return Midlothian Fire is offering $1,000 to anyone who locates Riggs. If you have information concerning Riggs’ location or have any information about his disappearance, call Station 1 at 469.672-0920
Oxnard authorities arrested four suspects on April 17 in connection with a shooting incident that injured three teens in March
A 19-year-old man and three male minors, all 17, were taken into custody after an investigation into the gunfire on March 4
Authorities said all four Oxnard residents are documented members of a criminal street gang
near Southwinds Park in the 300 block of West Clara Street
all from Oxnard — were taken to area hospitals with wounds that were not life-threatening
The department's violent crimes unit took over the investigation, identifying the four suspects and determining the motive for the shooting was gang-related, officials said in a news release
multiple search warrants were executed in Oxnard's La Colonia neighborhood
Oxnard's SWAT team was assisted by the Ventura County Sheriff's SWAT team
Authorities arrested the 19-year-old and one of the minors during the operation
A second juvenile was arrested at the police station
while the third was arrested at the county's juvenile facilities complex
where he was already in custody for unrelated offenses
The adult and one of the minors were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder
conspiracy and unlawful transfer of a firearm
The two others were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and unlawful transfer of a firearm
The 19-year-old remained in county jail custody April 17 with bail set at $520,000
A court appearance was scheduled for April 21
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jared Schacher at 805-385-8287 or jared.schacher@oxnardpd.org
Authorities arrested a 43-year-old man accused of killing a teen from the San Fernando Valley and dumping his body in Oxnard
was charged with murder Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court in the death of 13-year-old Oscar “Omar” Hernandez
whose body was found by the side of the road near McGrath State Beach
according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J
“No parent should ever have to endure the unimaginable pain and sorrow of learning their child has been murdered,” he said in a news release
Garcia-Aquino faces a possible maximum sentence of death or life in prison without the possibility of parole
A decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later date
The soccer coach also has been charged in a separate case of felony assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense
He is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy in Palmdale on Feb
he faces a possible maximum sentence of six years in state prison on that case
Authorities at a news conference Monday evening said they believe there could be more victims
The San Fernando Valley teen took a train to Lancaster on March 28 to meet up with Garcia-Aquino but never returned
His family reported him missing on March 30
and the search eventually led authorities to Oxnard last week
“While we all hoped for a different outcome
the tireless work of multiple law enforcement agencies has ensured that this dangerous individual is off the streets and is no longer a threat to our children and our communities," Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said
LAPD took the lead in the search for the missing teen and worked with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the FBI
“We will continue to pursue justice and work tirelessly to ensure we bring closure to the victims and their families
while ensuring that such individuals face the full extent of the law,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna
Additional victims or anyone with information is asked to contact the Los Angeles Police Department’s Juvenile Division
Abused Child Unit at 818-374-5415 or the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273
Information also may be provided anonymously by phone to the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers hotline at 800- 222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org
Three years after Oxnard rolled out a new rent-control program
city leaders have decided the rules need a remodel
The Oxnard City Council approved a slate of protections against tenant harassment during its April 29 meeting and made small patches to the city's 2022 rent stabilization and just cause eviction ordinances
The council also backed city staff's request to use $500,000 to hire a partially dedicated city attorney and an investigator to help enforce the new anti-harassment rules
with Councilmember Aaron Starr the lone dissenter each time
The city has been workshopping the changes since January
when dozens of renters organized by the nonprofit Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy piled into a council meeting and shared stories of landlords responding to tenant complaints by withholding repairs
issuing eviction notices on false grounds or threatening to contact immigration authorities
Chief Assistant City Attorney Ken Rozell said that the anti-harassment ordinance is designed to give the city an option to go after abusive landlords
The tweaks to the city's 2022 rules were small and mostly consisted of clarifications negotiated between tenant and landlord groups
CAUSE and the tenant group crowded the council chambers again April 29 as the council considered the changes
"This (anti-harassment) ordinance is going to protect me and other tenants," Samuel Salazar
"We will be able to ask for repairs without fear of retaliation from managers and owners."
City staff modeled the new anti-harassment ordinance after the city of Santa Monica's
with guidance from outside attorney Stephen Lewis
have introduced similar rules over the last decade
The new code — which would cover all of the roughly 22,000 rental units in Oxnard — aims to stop landlords from using eviction threats
deferred repairs and a range of other actions to intimidate
Many of the ordinance's protections are already part of California law
but Rozell said in an interview that adding them to Oxnard's municipal code gives city staff the power to enforce them
"The district attorney has not always been willing to step in," Rozell said
"This would give us another tool in our tool belt to ensure fair and proper practices are followed."
Rozell said the ordinance is directed only at egregious harassment and that he can only think of two or three situations in recent years where the city may have pursued criminal prosecution
"You (are allowed) to do a lot of this stuff
just not for improper purposes," Rozell said
It's stuff that would kind of shock the conscience."
Violations of the new ordinance would be misdemeanors with fines of up to $1,000 or jail sentences of up to six months
Rozell said the penalties are standard for misdemeanor violations of municipal code
Landlords who violate the code could also face civil penalties of up to $10,000
with an additional $5,000 if the aggrieved tenant is a senior citizen or has a disability
The anti-harassment ordinance drew a swell of support from renters and tenant advocates during the meeting
but protest from a pair of local landlords and a large Southern California landlord group
"It will create a cold war where owners will be afraid (to converse) with rental tenants," said Jesus Rojas
a government affairs field representative for the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles
argued in a letter to the council that the anti-harassment ordinance was "too extreme" and its enforcement too costly
The ordinance could force mom-and-pop landlords into bankruptcy
The apartment association ultimately asked the city instead to look into a landlord-tenant mediation program
akin to one already in place in Santa Barbara County
A representative for the county's real estate agent association
said the group was happy with the city's final product
director of government affairs for the Ventura County Coastal Association of Realtors
said in a text message that the group was involved in negotiations over the new policies
The changes will "create more accountability
certainty and transparency in Oxnard's housing market," Leatherwood said
Starr moved to ask city staff to explore a mediation program
arguing that an anti-harassment ordinance would drive owners out of the property rental business and hurt renters in the long run
His motion died when it did not receive a second
The council's approval of each item is the first step toward implementation
The new ordinance and amendments to the current ordinances will return to the council for a second reading at a later date
Isaiah Murtaugh covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236
A stabbing in Oxnard morphed into a noteworthy event when county firefighters carried out California's first in-the-field whole blood transfusion on the way to the hospital on the night of April 10
The new technology had been announced by the Ventura County Fire Department a day earlier
Oxnard's stabbing was reported around 9 p.m
The area is near the intersection of Rose Avenue and Fifth Street
The violence may have involved a road rage incident
the stabbing remained under investigation and no arrests had been made
The man had been stabbed in the upper thigh area and an artery had been punctured
county fire officials said in a news release
The patient was initially treated by Oxnard police and fire personnel as well as Gold Coast Ambulance paramedics
Their efforts included application of a tourniquet
They also administered a medication called tranexamic acid that helps control bleeding
Dispatch algorithms for the whole blood pilot program soon sent Ventura County Fire's Rescue Ambulance 50 to the scene
The county fire paramedics grabbed whole blood gear from their vehicle and jumped into the Gold Coast ambulance
according to the fire department's account
they found the stabbing victim in critical condition with pale
The man was said to be drifting in and out of consciousness
During the ride to Ventura County Medical Center
the county paramedics administered a unit of whole blood
Department officials said it was the first such transfusion performed by field paramedics in California
The patient's vital signs improved during the ride
and he regained consciousness and spoke with the crew
a county firefighter and spokesman for the department
said the dispatch algorithms currently being used are based on a 12-minute travel window
In cases that potentially involve significant blood loss — shootings
stabbings and other traumatic injuries — a county rescue ambulance carrying the whole blood will automatically be dispatched to a call if the crew can arrive at the scene within 12 minutes
Two other fire agencies in California also have a whole blood transfusion program
The Los Angeles Fire Department launched the same day as Ventura County's
and the Corona Fire Department kicked off their program in November
A statewide group coordinating the efforts confirmed Ventura County's transfusion on April 10 was the first such use in the field
"This is just an incredible leap forward," he said
“This successful transfusion in the field is a direct result of vision
training and strong partnerships,” said county Fire Chief Dustin Gardner in a statement
“It represents a new era in prehospital trauma care and showcases the innovative spirit of Ventura County’s public safety and medical community.”
the county medical center's trauma medical director
The patient received critical blood volume replacement minutes after injury — a game-changer that increases survival odds dramatically.”
A timeline provided by the fire agency shows the transfusion started at 9:13 p.m.
less than five minutes after the county crews arrived at the scene
a minute before the ambulance arrived at the emergency room
medical director for Ventura County's Emergency Medical Services Agency
said in a statement the system performed extraordinarily well
He noted actions by police and ambulance personnel who were first at the scene
"The time from the 911 call to the start of the transfusion was under 20 minutes," he said
and EMS came together to deliver not just exceptional prehospital care
The emergency whole blood program resulted from extensive planning and training involving county agencies and support from blood provider Vitalant
the whole blood units are currently being carried on designated county rescue ambulances for use during life-threatening emergencies involving major blood loss
Oxnard Union High School District is on track to lay off fewer than 91 staff at the end of the school year, less than half of the cuts district leaders projected last month
Trustees for the 17,000-student district voted in a pair of split 3-2 votes during a special meeting Wednesday night to approve preliminary layoff notices for three administrators
The moves could also cut the total number of workdays for 105 support staff
A flurry of retirements and some budget tweaks saved about half of the jobs from the district's initial 180-job layoff package
District staff project the number of layoffs will drop below 60 as the process continues
Oxnard Union is trying to shed $30 million from its budget as enrollment losses and funding reductions eat into annual revenue
The district is down more than 1,300 students over three years and expects to lose another 400 next year
Superintendent Tom McCoy first announced the sweeping plan on Valentine's Day to cut more than 180 jobs across the district's 11 campuses
The district also rolled out a retirement incentive package it hoped would allay a significant portion of the cuts
The decision was initially on the board's agenda for its Feb
but with hundreds of community members crowding into district headquarters to protest and the numbers rapidly changing due to retiring staff
trustees opted to postpone the vote by a week
administrators and representatives from the district's labor union
the Oxnard Federation of Teachers and School Employees
began meeting to discuss potential budget moves that could free some jobs from layoffs
106 staff had signed paperwork to take the district's offer and retire
In addition to directly taking the place of some layoffs
the retirements also opened up another 23 support staff jobs that
could allow the district to bring the number of support staff layoffs down to 24
A number of teaching jobs could also be brought back after initial layoff notices
due to contract class size requirements and quirks in state arts education funding
The superintendent said the district plans to look into potential savings on utilities
State law requires the district to distribute preliminary layoff notices
The number of final notices could drop with more voluntary staff departures or budget rearrangements
State law requires the district to make offers to laid-off staff for any jobs that open within the first 39 months after their departure
for our Annual Juried Student Art Show and opening reception at the McNish Gallery of Art from 5:00pm - 7:00pm
An awards presentation will take place at 5:30pm followed by a musical performance by local band
The Annual Student Show displays fine works of art by Oxnard College students in all levels of Studio Art courses
Awards that will be presented include: the President’s Choice Awards
Follow us on https://www.instagram.com/oxnardcollegearts/
We are excited to announce Oxnard College’s “Multicultural Expo” on April 10th from 12pm - 3pm in the Student Services Quad and the OC Amphitheater
– Fire crews helped with a water rescue off Camino Majorca and Del Playa Drive in Isla Vista just before 5:15 p.m
according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department
Two sailors were helped to Goleta Beach without medical complaints thanks to four firefighter ocean rescuers getting them to safety
Two emergency vehicles helped the two sailors and their boat after it was found 3/4 of a mile off the coast of the beach
An estimated 80,000 gallons of treated sewage spilled from the ocean outfall of Oxnard's wastewater treatment plant on Perkins Road
closing nearby beaches in Oxnard and Port Hueneme
Ventura County's Environmental Health Division posted warning signs at Port Hueneme Beach Park and along Ormond Beach at J Street
The beaches will stay closed until samples test clean
A spill report filed with the state showed the flow started around 8:35 p.m
Thursday and was stopped about two hours later
all county beaches remain under a rainfall advisory due to recent rains
meaning the division recommends surfers and swimmers stay out of the water due to potentially harmful bacteria in stormwater runoff
Residents should avoid contact for at least 72 hours after rain stops
An interactive map of local beaches and other information is available at the environmental division's ocean water quality monitoring page at vcrma.org
An Oxnard man has been accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl he groomed online
has been charged with seven felony counts of lewd act upon a child
He pleaded not guilty to all counts during his arraignment last week
the Ventura County Superior Court docket shows
Prosecutors also filed special allegations
including that the crimes involved substantial sexual contact
Such allegations can bring heavier sentences if a defendant is ultimately convicted
Magana was arrested March 18 after an investigation by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office
The sheriff's major crimes unit found Magana allegedly had contacted the minor online with intent to commit sexual acts
The sheriff's investigation found Magana had contacted the Camarillo girl in December and January through various social media platforms
He arranged to meet the girl in person on three separate occasions in Camarillo
Sheriff's officials said they believe there may be more victims
The Ventura County District Attorney's Office filed charges Thursday prior to Magana's arraignment
The court filings indicate the alleged incidents took place on three dates in late December and early January
Magana was released from jail after posting a $450,000 bail bond
His next hearing is scheduled for the afternoon of April 8 in courtroom 12
Sheriff's officials said information about online safety is available from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org
where age-appropriate presentations are available
OC LIVE is proud to present “Breaking Barriers: Unveiling the Unique Experiences Within the Deaf Community” on Monday
at 6pm in the beautiful Oxnard College Performing Arts Building
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion featuring Deaf members of our community and parents of Deaf children as they share their diverse experiences and perspectives
Learn about the barriers they’ve faced and ways to promote inclusivity and regard for Deaf culture
For those interested in learning ASL, Oxnard College offers courses with an option to earn a Certificate of Achievement in ASL or an A.A. degree in Deaf Studies. Contact professors Adriana Nino (adriana_nino1@vcccd.edu) or Emily Talbot (etalbot@vcccd.edu) for more information
This is a FREE event that is open to the public. No tickets are necessary. Parking is FREE in Lot “H.” ASL services will be provided. Find all of our event information on the web at oxnardcollege/oclive
Two men were arrested in Oxnard Thursday during an operation that involved SWAT team members as warrants were served concerning a stabbing in December
The arrests involved the stabbing of a 43-year-old Oxnard man during a private event at the Elks Lodge at around 5 p.m
said Oxnard Police Department Detective Diego Estrada
The building is in the 800 block of South A Street
The victim was allegedly stabbed once in the torso by one of the suspects
A friend of the victim drove him to a local hospital with injuries that weren't life-threatening
Police don't have a known motive for the attack
and don't know whether the victim and suspect knew each other
The dinner gathering was connected to a funeral
Investigators identified the 51-year-old and another Oxnard man
Detectives with the department's violent crimes unit subsequently obtained search warrants for both men's residences
authorities executed the warrants with assistance from the Oxnard and Ventura County Sheriff's SWAT teams
The searches were carried out in the 1700 block of Tehama Street and the 800 block of Dicha Drive
Detectives seized firearms from one of the men's homes including two bolt-action rifles
two revolvers and several hundred rounds of ammunition
The 51-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and conspiracy and the other man on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy
The stabbing suspect remained in Ventura County's main jail Friday with bail set at $500,000
He has a scheduled court appearance Monday
The other man has since been released from jail on bond
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Estrada at 805-288-3289 or diego.estrada@oxnardpd.org
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com
Federal prosecutors have filed immigration-related charges against a previously deported Oxnard man who has also been convicted in two felony firearms cases in Ventura County
Attorney's Office in Los Angeles said federal criminal charges were filed against 20 defendants allegedly found in the United States following deportation
Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel on the filings
according to a federal Department of Justice news release
Many of the defendants charged had previously been convicted of felonies before they were deported
Federal charges in the Ventura County case were filed after a local arrest sparked an electronic notification to ICE
according to the complaint filed Thursday in U.S
The local defendant, 24-year-old Aristeo González Rosas, had been arrested Feb. 15 by the Oxnard Police Department on suspicion of multiple firearms violations
officers had pulled over the Ford Expedition he was driving in the Colonia neighborhood for vehicle code violations and found there was a warrant for his arrest
Officers reportedly found a loaded .38 caliber revolver during a search of the Ford
Police described the suspect as an Oxnard resident
The booking triggered the notification to ICE's Pacific Enforcement Response Center based on biometric fingerprint information showing González Rosas was in the custody of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office
according to an affidavit attached to the federal complaint
PERC lodged a Department of Homeland Security immigration detainer with the sheriff's agency
Federal authorities say the defendant is from Mexico
Federal prosecutors charged him with being an "illegal alien found in the United States following deportation," according to the complaint
Court records and the federal complaint show a 2022 conviction in Ventura County Superior Court for carrying a loaded firearm with a large capacity magazine that brought an eight-month sentence
González Rosas received a 16 month sentence in state prison for another firearm conviction out of Oxnard
Oxnard police posted a photo showing two AR-15 style rifles without serial numbers found during a search of González Rosas' vehicle
Officers also found multiple large-capacity magazines
Federal authorities said the crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison
Those deported after a felony conviction face up to 10 years in federal prison
González Rosas remained in custody at the county's main jail in Ventura
(This story was updated to add the latest pause on President Trump's tariffs Wednesday.)
one of Ventura County’s biggest manufacturing companies and biggest private-sector employers
there’s a lot of uncertainty about what President Donald Trump’s tariffs will mean
But one thing is clear: They're going to cost the company and its customers
lathes and other machines that shape metal and other materials to create finished manufactured products
It has $1.2 billion in annual sales and employs more than 1,600 people at its factory in Oxnard
where it manufactures all of its machine tools
As a home-grown advanced manufacturer that makes all of its products in the United States
Haas is just the sort of company that protectionist trade policies like tariffs are meant to protect
is deeply integrated into the global economy
and it has a lot to lose in a global trade war
Haas will pay tens of millions of dollars more every year for the components and raw materials it imports
And since it sells its products all over the world — about half of its sales are in the U.S
Zierhut said — it is also vulnerable to tariffs that other countries might levy on U.S.-made goods in retaliation
"There's a double-edged sword for us," Zierhut said
"It's not only the importation of any components that are produced outside the United States
but it's also exporting our machines to those foreign countries
We're still unsure of what those countries are going to do to retaliate
Trump said he was authorizing a 90-day pause in reciprocal fees while raising China's levy to 125%
China and the European Union earlier had unveiled stiff retaliation levies aimed at countering Trump's tariff plan
while he urged global companies to set up shop in the U.S
A tariff is a tax on goods imported from foreign countries
paid by the domestic entity that does the importing
They're often used to target specific industries or specific countries
the Trump administration plans to implement tariffs starting at 10% on every import from nearly every country
and topping 50% on imports from some countries
winds up in a full-scale trade war with China or other countries
Almost every economist agrees that tariffs are a bad idea
an economist at California Lutheran University and the executive director of the university's Center for Economic Research and Forecasting
"There's almost no topic of any kind on which all economists across the field agree
steel tariffs in 2018 did result in a modest increase in jobs in the U.S
But that gain was more than outweighed by much larger job losses in other U.S
industries at companies that buy steel to make their products
The most visible effect for American consumers
should Trump's announced tariffs remain in place
"Tariffs increase the price of both imported and domestically made goods," he said
Businesses had started slowing down their investment spending before these tariffs
and Fienup said he expects those investment numbers to "fall off a cliff" in the last month
Fienup said CLU CERF is predicting a recession — a decline in overall economic output — to hit the United States in the second or third quarter of this year
Haas provides an example of how tariffs raise prices
One of the chief materials Haas buys from overseas is cast iron
The material is heavy and rigid and absorbs the vibration that can be generated by huge machine tools
which makes it perfect for the frames of Haas machines
The company buys more than 100 million pounds of cast iron components every year
with China as the top supplier and India not far behind
which would add up to a more than 100% tax rate on Chinese imports
Trump's stated goal with tariffs is to move industrial jobs back to the U.S.
tariffs of 26% or 54% aren't likely to do that
American-made cast iron tends to costs two or three times as much as the imported competition
and there aren't many American foundries that can produce large enough quantities for a company like Haas
"I don't think your kids are going to work in a cast iron foundry
where they're going to pour vats of red-hot cast iron into molds all day," Zierhut said
'We're trying to bring industries back to the U.S.,' but Americans don't want to do that work
we can build more things here and there's an opportunity to bring more manufacturing back to America
but it's not going to be cast iron smelters."
Haas is already in the process of moving its cast iron sourcing away from China
but the countries it looks to instead are also facing tariffs
The total impact of tariffs on the price of a Haas machine might be 5% to 10%
"A 25% or 30% tariff isn't going to make a difference
to make us less competitive," Zierhut said
Haas machine tools cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars each
so the company might be able to raise prices by a few thousand dollars and not lose many sales
But the manufacturers who buy Haas equipment will then have higher cost
by a Haas machine tool will get more expensive
even though it's not directly targeted by import tariffs
sold around the worldHaas imports raw materials for its machine tools
tariffs by upping their own tariffs on American goods
it will make it harder for Haas to sell its products internationally
"Out of the $1.2 billion in sales last year
close to half of it was exported," Zierhut said
We're doing our little part to help the trade imbalance."
Haas' biggest international markets are Europe
The future of all of those markets is uncertain
now that countries around the world are threatening retaliation against U.S
Haas already stopped selling its products to distributors in China about six months ago
"it's just too difficult to operate there."
In 2023, Haas machine tools and replacement parts were reportedly being used by Russian military contractors to wage war on Ukraine
Company representatives said it appeared some of the parts came from an after-market supplier in China
"After the issues between Russia and Ukraine
we were forced to look much more closely at where our products were being shipped around the world," Zierhut said
"We've got to be sure that the machines we build don't end up going somewhere they're not supposed to go."
Consequences could be 'severe'Though CLU's economists are predicting a recession if the tariffs stay in place
These tariffs are so large — among the biggest in U.S
history — that he doesn't think they will last long
so his forecast team doesn't consider a trade war-fueled recession to be the likeliest outcome this year
"We simply don't believe it's sustainable," he said
"The economic consequences could be so severe that it's not politically sustainable."
USA Today reports contributed to this story
Tony Biasotti is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tbiasotti@vcstar.com
This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism
The fight between Oxnard City Treasurer Phil Molina and the Oxnard City Council isn't over
despite what appeared to be a final court decision last year in Molina's favor
The next round will be at Tuesday night's City Council meeting
when the council will vote on a recommendation from the city attorney to once again transfer some of the city treasurer's duties out of Molina's purview
improperly investigated an employee for alleged theft
exceeded the duties of his office and interfered with the investigation by talking about it to employees who were being interviewed as witnesses
Molina denies those allegations and says his employees never described his behavior as abusive or harassing
The decision last year by three judges of the Second District Court of Appeal ordered the city to restore Molina's duties as treasurer
bring his pay back to its former level of about $140,000 and pay him nearly $450,000 in back pay for the years his salary was reduced
if it approves the measures on Tuesday's agenda
the Oxnard City Council will try to comply with the appellate court's decision while not putting Molina back in charge of the 19-person department that reported to him before 2020
Molina would still have the duties assigned to him under state law
such as oversight of the funds received by the treasurer and submitting monthly financial reports to the city clerk
But the chief of police would have oversight over treasury department employees for the purposes of collecting business licensing fees and other payments to the city
while an assistant treasurer would run the office on a day-to-day basis and be responsible for the payment of checks and warrants
said the appeals court decision leaves room for the city to make these moves
State law specifically allows a police chief to oversee the collection of fees
and the law also allows the city to establish its own procedure for the payment of warrants
which serve the same purpose as checks in government finance
"We are doing the exact things the court said we could do," Rozell said
and believes he has the appellate court's decision on his side
wrote that a city treasurer "deprived of the office's duties is tantamount to no treasurer
The City may not through legerdemain un-elect the office of city treasurer and defeat the choice of the voters."
this is not consistent with the intent of the court's decision," Molina said
"The court's decision said the treasurer should do the treasurer's job."
Molina said he's discussed the matter with his attorneys and could decide to sue the city again if it passes the ordinances on Tuesday's agenda
but we believe that if the council makes this decision
A long-awaited bridge project at a dangerous railroad crossing in Oxnard kicked off Friday with a groundbreaking ceremony
The $134.5 million grade separation project at Rice Avenue and Fifth Street will put up six lanes in all to carry vehicles
bicyclists and pedestrians over the train tracks
Construction should start in March and is expected to be finished in 2029
The city is overseeing the project in conjunction with the California Department of Transportation and Ventura County
Fifth Street is also known as State Route 34
The bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks will be built about 250 feet east of Rice Road's current footprint
The span will stretch roughly between Wooley Road
including an intersection with traffic signals
will be installed on the south side of Rice
traffic signals will be upgraded at Sturgis Road
Funding has come mostly from a number of state and federal grants as well as some development impact fees, the city's fact sheet shows
2 workers taken to hospital after fire breaks out at P&G plant in OxnardVentura County StarA fire was reported Sunday morning at the Procter & Gamble plant in Oxnard
resulting in apparent smoke inhalation for two workers who were taken to a local hospital for evaluation
A significant amount of surface material burned at the plant
Battalion Chief Scott Herring of the Oxnard Fire Department said Sunday
Firefighters put out the blaze before 11:30 a.m
although a fire department investigator remained on scene Sunday afternoon
Herring said the cause is still under investigation
He did not have a financial estimate of the damage or know to what extent the plant’s operations were disrupted
The Oxnard Fire Department responded to the blaze with the assistance of the Ventura County Fire Department and the Gold Coast ambulance service
(This story has been updated with new information from the weather service.)
A team from the National Weather Service confirmed a weak tornado briefly touched down in Oxnard during Thursday's storm
shattering windows and damaging roofs in two mobile home parks
tucked between the junction of Oxnard Boulevard and Pleasant Valley Road
On Friday morning, a damage assessment team from the National Weather Service in Oxnard visited the site and confirmed a weak tornado had caused the damage in Country Club Mobile Estates
The decision was based on the damage pattern
the least severe category – was produced by rotating thunderstorms
It formed just south of Oxnard College around East Bard Road at 3:27 p.m
With winds speeds up to 85 mph, the tornado moved northeast
leaving a path of damage more than a half-mile long and roughly 20 yards wide
before petering out in the area of South Oxnard Boulevard and East Channel Islands Boulevard
Residents described their windows shaking up to a minute as fierce winds ripped through the mobile home parks
said Battalion Chief Steve Reyes of the Oxnard Fire Department
Some of the debris ended up on Highway 1 and Butler Road
the weather service also reported large branches had broken off trees across the highway
The first firefighters at the scene Thursday afternoon found power lines down in a few feet of water
No injuries were reported and the power was restored by early Friday morning
prompting the fire department to help residents secure damaged awnings and roofing
were expected to head to the parks to help with repairs and debris removal
A weak tornado typically is reported every couple years or so in the region
and a similar one touched down in Carpinteria a few years ago
a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Oxnard
They generally are in the weak range and pretty short lived
Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star
Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260
The Indigenous Knowledge Conference will be held on Friday
from 9:00am to 3:30pm at the Oxnard College Performing Arts Building
organized by the Mixteco Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP)
will focus on the theme "From Land to Body to Soul: Indigenous Healing in a Changing World."
The conference will bring together community members
and advocates to explore the importance of Indigenous thought
and engagement around how Indigenous communities approach healing and navigate the challenges of today's world
Hear from experts who are shaping conversations around Indigenous health and well-being
Engage with a community dedicated to preserving and sharing Indigenous knowledge
We look forward to welcoming you to Oxnard College for this enriching event on April 11th
Are you ready to join the thousands of companies who rely on Blue Book to drive smarter decisions
We’d love to show you what Blue Book can do for you
Drop us a line– we’ve been waiting for you
Markon Cooperative BB #:123315 released this crop update January 23
2025: Please see this Markon Live video from the Fields video taken yesterday regarding strong winds and wildfires..
Markon Cooperative BB #:123315 released this crop update January 23
Please see this Markon Live video from the Fields video taken yesterday regarding strong winds and wildfires in Southern California and their effects on the Oxnard growing region
The recent devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area had not impacted the Oxnard growing region until yesterday
located approximately 50 miles from Oxnard in Castaic
kicked up at approximately 10:30 am on January 22
Strong winds pushed smoke and ash into the Oxnard region by early afternoon
and there is currently no detectable smoke in the region
but some growers have canceled harvests due to these Santa Ana winds and the potential for smoke/ash to become a concern again
Oxnard crops that have been impacted and/or are subject to falling ash:
the Hughes fire has burned over 10,000 acres and is only 14% contained
Markon inspectors are actively monitoring the situation and will continue to update with any new developments
Please contact your Markon Account Manager for further information
Get access to all the news and analysis you need to make the right decision --- delivered to your inbox
G&R Farms launches its 2025 Growing America’s Farmers (GAF) program
featuring in-store Vidalia promotions and displays
is recalling 4 Count Vine Ripe Tomatoes packaged in clam shell containers
The Chilean/Peruvian offshore season will wrap up over the next four weeks
Expect pricing to increase as the offshore season winds down
The Foundation For Fresh Produce held its annual Consumer Connection Conference April 28-30
tangy refreshment of California-grown grapefruit and introducing a new way to enjoy it
Subway is stepping in to make dining decisions even easier with the return of $6.99 Any Footlong all month long
(This story has been updated to correct an error)
The only career Luis Mc Arthur has ever known is in the Oxnard Police Department
His first job there was as a high school student in the records department
He swore an oath to become full officer as soon as he was old enough and there was an opening
said he would retire as a commander on Saturday after 35 years working in the department
he'll swear an oath to take up his next office: Oxnard's mayor
The political newbie entered the crowded mayoral race late — quietly filing initial paperwork the day before the Aug
to defeat longtime Councilmember Bryan MacDonald
The rest of the field lagged further back: Karla Alejandra Zamora had 13.7% support
Mc Arthur's victory put a bow on a definitive overhaul for the seven-member Oxnard City Council
Four newcomers were voted into office on Nov
5 and the council's longest-tenured members
MacDonald and retiring Mayor John Zaragoza
"It's definitely a major shift in the city of Oxnard," said political scientist Tim Allison
"There will be tons of energy put into a new agenda
the council has a combined 57 years of experience on the dais
not including Zaragoza's 12 years as a county supervisor
that combined experience will drop to 20 years
who first took office in a 2013 special election
will be the only one on the council with even two full terms in office
a longtime city government adversary who has spent the past decade battling Oxnard in court cases and over ballot measures
The shift could open up an "array of possibilities," said retired political science professor Herb Gooch
"The next few months will give you a sense of the realignment," he said
is the last councilmember remaining from the days of a dramatic criminal investigation into allegations of financial abuses by top city administrators and elected officials that rocked City Hall from 2010 to 2012
The inquiry, headed by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, found some city policies and practices had resulted in "fiscal abuses at the highest levels." No charges were ever filed
with the DA's office saying sloppy financial records and changes to state evidence rules prevented prosecutors from compiling a conclusive criminal case
The FPPC fined other city officials higher amounts for similar violations
MacDonald said Wednesday his decision to accept those gifts to new councilmember ignorance and said he paid the fine and reimbursed the gift
but I didn't do it intentionally," he said
Oxnard's governance has changed dramatically since MacDonald's first term
with finances improving and street repairs picking up
"I'm really proud of where we are," he said
"The city's in the best position it's been in in a long time."
Tim Flynn, a former councilmember and mayor who left the council in 2020 to make an ultimately unsuccessful bid for county supervisor
but the financial situation in the city is in a much brighter place
Flynn credited City Manager Alex Nguyen and his predecessor
"Having a rock-solid city manager and staff is so important."Flynn said he believes city staff get even more important with high council turnover: "(Council newcomers) are even more dependent on experts for advice."
by the introduction of term limits in 2020 and the switch to district elections in 2018
all of the five-member council had been in place for a decade
Citywide council elections had higher financial and organizational barriers to entry
The smaller district races make it so that almost anyone has a chance to win
"I don't see (this turnover) as an exception," he said
MacDonald had what looked like a clear path to victory
He'd won council races in the at-large era and the district era and served for the last four years as Zaragoza's mayor pro tem
meaning he'd carry out mayoral duties in Zaragoza's absence
The outgoing councilmember said he expected a contest from Mc Arthur
Mc Arthur's surge could have been in part due to a general impulse toward change in Oxnard
Incumbent councilmembers Oscar Madrigal and Arthur Valenzuela
a longtime executive assistant in the city manager's office
Mc Arthur ran his campaign with a relatively small war chest
raising $7,500 in monetary contributions from a handful of donors and loaning his campaign fund $3,300
according to campaign finance reports through Oct
MacDonald's campaign received $55,700 in all
including $31,652 in monetary contributions and $23,050 in loans from MacDonald
said Oxnard voters' rejection of incumbents ran against the countywide trend
"Luis Mc Arthur is a pretty good indication that the voters wanted to try something new," he said
Party politics could also have played a role
even though council races are technically nonpartisan
MacDonald is a Republican in a blue-leaning city
and though he's built a large network of colleagues around the county and earned endorsements from some prominent Democrats including Zaragoza
Mc Arthur had the backing of the Ventura County Democratic Party
are involved with the county's Democratic groups
as a "flexing of the Democratic organization."
Mc Arthur's success this election could just be because he's been a public figure in Oxnard for more than two decades
before he moved to Oxnard as a 6- or 7-year-old child
he began hosting a Spanish language version of a television segment called Street Beat
explaining legal rights to viewers from the perspective of a police officer
He still has a similar radio show on the local station Radio Indigena, this one in Spanish and, with the help of a translator, Mixtec, an Indigenous language. He also worked on other community-facing programs, including a peewee soccer league
"I wasn't necessarily coming into the race as an unknown," he said
With his retirement from law enforcement — he was about six months away from the threshold to receive his full police pension — Mc Arthur said he's going to treat the part-time mayor position like a full-time job
because he saw an opportunity in Zaragoza's retirement
the maximum under the new term limit rules
and then has his eye on county and state office
He campaigned to increase Oxnard's allure as a cultural destination
increase youth programming and find solutions for homelessness
Much remains to be seen about how the new-look council will vote
what issues members will agree on and what issues will spark clashes
who works on occasion with the California Democratic Party
said that he thinks voters will get what they expect with Perez and Rodríguez
both of whom have been around the county's Democratic political scene for long enough
"There are two major wild cards," Allison said
We don't yet know what kind of mayor he's going to be."
Isaiah Murtaugh covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh
Oxnard police arrested a man Tuesday afternoon in connection with a fatal stabbing in the La Colonia neighborhood last month
was already in local jail custody on an unrelated charge at the time of his arrest
Oxnard Police Department officials said in a news release
whose surname is spelled Garciarodriguez in jail and court records
The announcement came about two weeks after the victim, Eugenio Lopez Ramirez, 26, was found with stab wounds in the 100 block of Wilson Avenue on the night of Feb
Police officials have said they believe a bystander happened upon Lopez Ramirez around 9:45 p.m
Investigators believed the victim had been stabbed elsewhere and collapsed near Wilson Avenue and First Street
He was taken to Ventura County Medical Center
The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office determined Lopez Ramirez died from stab wounds of the chest
Police officials have said he is from Oxnard
while the medical examiner identified him as a Port Hueneme resident
which involved detectives from the special enforcement unit along with personnel from the investigation services bureau
turned up "sufficient evidence" to arrest Garcia Rodriguez
No additional details were provided about the evidence found or the circumstances leading up to the stabbing
Garcia Rodriguez was arrested around 2 p.m
after being charged by prosecutors with assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment by violence
Ventura County Superior Court records show
He remained housed at the main jail Tuesday evening with a hearing in the murder case scheduled for Thursday afternoon in courtroom 13
(This story has been updated with new information from the city about Monday's meeting.)
Aaron Starr has worked to change Oxnard policy from outside City Hall
putting forward ballot measures and battling the city in more than a dozen lawsuits
When he was sworn into office as a City Council member on Dec
one of them thrust its way onto the council's agenda
On Dec. 20, a federal appeals court published a decision siding with Starr in his 2020 case against the city's campaign contribution limits
On Monday, the City Council will meet in closed session to consider its response to the appellate court ruling. The meeting offers a first look into how the city will handle legal battles with Starr now that he's inside the fold alongside three other council newbies
A sitting council member battling its own city in court is not unprecedented — former Oxnard Mayor Tim Flynn
sued the city in 2007 and 2008 — but not many match the volume of Starr's Oxnard litigation
Starr said he has taken Oxnard to court over the years only when the city rejected his various concerns about the legality of its actions
who has already sparred with some of his new colleagues in his weeks on the dais
"I have every reason to believe it's going to work out much better," he said
Chief Assistant City Attorney Kenneth Rozell said the city doesn’t expect any changes in its approach to outstanding lawsuits with Starr
barring a decision from a council majority
willing and able to work with him,” he said
California’s Fair Political Practices Commission, known commonly as the FPPC, bars officials with any “disqualifying conflict of interest” from making or using their positions to influence government decisions connected to that conflict
Rozell said that means Starr will be required to recuse himself from council discussions of his cases
Starr said he still needed to take a close look at the FPPC rule and believes there is a chance he could participate in some of those discussions under certain conditions
He declined to say Tuesday whether he plans to recuse himself from the upcoming closed session discussion
the closed door session on the lawsuit was the only item on the agenda
the city sent out a revised agenda with an additional item: the council is slated to decide whether Starr can participate in the closed session
20 that the city had targeted Starr with a 2020 ballot measure capping how much individuals could donate to political campaigns
The ruling from the three-member panel reversed an earlier decision from a federal district court and sent it back to the court with an order to rewrite its judgment
The city still could respond to the appeals court ruling
though Rozell declined to say Tuesday what options will be presented to the City Council in the upcoming session
filed the lawsuit after Oxnard's Measure B — a city-initiated ballot measure that included caps on individual contributions to political campaigns — passed with 82.5% of votes in the March 2020 primary
Circuit Judge Daniel Collins authored the court's decision
which found that Oxnard singled out Starr both in the framing of the measure and its promotion
Starr ran unsuccessfully for seats on the council five times between 2014 and 2020
and Moving Oxnard Forward backed several ballot measures
Starr tended to raise most of his money from a small number of donors contributing in large amounts
making him an outlier among Oxnard campaigners
"would have little practical impact on any recent candidates for municipal elections except for one — Aaron Starr."
The city's own material promoting the measure used Starr as a "poster child," the opinion said
when a pair of slide presentation pages featured Starr's campaign contribution records as an example
Circuit Judge Mark Bennett wrote that the record supported the city's assertion it was trying to block potential corruption
Starr said it was "very clear" to him that he was the target of the contribution limits
"The person who was most impacted by this were not the incumbents," he said
governed by the city's campaign contribution rule
Rozell said the city was not after Starr but wanted to continue the city's break with the 2010 corruption scandal that engulfed city hall
City attorneys believe the measure complies with current law
A state law passed in 2021 put default campaign contribution limits in place for when cities and counties don't have their own
In addition to the campaign contributions lawsuit
a handful of lawsuits between Starr and the city remain active
An Oxnard man died Sunday from gunfire in what police are calling a homicide
with apparent gunshot wounds at the intersection of H and Second streets
the Oxnard Police Department said in a news release
The location is several blocks west of the city's main public library in the downtown area
Police said they began life-saving measures and emergency medical crews responded and treated the victim
The victim was identified by police as Ruben Villa
Officers could not be reached immediately Sunday for information on the status of the investigation and potential arrests
Investigators are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact Detective Ricardo Vega at 805-385-7688 or ricardo.vega@oxnardpd.org
The city of Oxnard offers a reward of $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any individuals responsible for committing homicides within the city
DUI arrest madeVentura County StarOne person died and another was critically injured following a traffic collision Saturday night in Oxnard
at the intersection of Victoria and Doris avenues when the driver of a Nissan Cube headed north on Victoria broadsided a Toyota Sienna van as the vehicle crossed the intersection
according to a preliminary investigation by the Oxnard Police Department
identified as a 55-year-old Oxnard resident
and a male passenger sustained significant injuries and were transported to the Ventura County Medical Center
whose name has not been released pending notification of next of kin
The driver remains in critical but stable condition
police said in a news release issued Sunday morning
identified as a 19-year-old resident of Oxnard
was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital
He showed symptoms of being impaired due to alcohol intoxication at the hospital and was arrested
He was later booked into county jail on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol
He remained there Sunday on the misdemeanor charge in lieu of $5,000 bail
Speed was also believed to be a contributing factor to the collision that is still under investigation
Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact Traffic Investigator Alexis Arellano at 805-385-7750 or via email at alexis.arellano@oxnardpd.org
Local narcotics detectives seized about 12 pounds of methamphetamine and other items Wednesday from two south Oxnard homes linked to a drug trafficking suspect
The warrant searches were carried out at residences in the 5400 block of Roland Way and the 4400 block of J Street
the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said in a news release
which involved law enforcement officers from the Ventura County Combined Agency Team
dismantled a "significant" narcotics trafficking operation
The team includes personnel from local and federal agencies and focuses on major and mid-level drug offenders
The searches capped off a three-month investigation of the suspect
He allegedly distributed meth and fentanyl to Ventura County residents
detectives found the methamphetamine as well as suspected fentanyl — a powerful synthetic opioid — and cash believed to be from drug sales
The operation included help from an Oxnard Police Department drug-sniffing police dog named Rocky, according to the Oxnard Community K-9 Foundation
a nonprofit that supports the department's police dog program
Rocky reportedly found the methamphetamine while searching a vehicle on one of the properties
the foundation said in a social media post
Sheriff's and Oxnard police detectives were on hand for the searches
Sheriff's authorities said the suspect was arrested
although his name didn't appear in the county jail log on Saturday
The case will be referred to the District Attorney's Office and there may be more arrests
Editor's note: This article contains descriptions of child sexual abuse
(This story has been updated to correct the name of the elementary school.)
a computer lab technician with the Oxnard School District terrorized a handful of girls as young as 10 who attended the district’s schools
shared child pornography with them and coerced one girl into sending him nude photos of herself
Jorge Ruiz was arrested at work in 2022 and charged with 19 crimes involving four children
pleading guilty to four charges in exchange for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office dropping the rest
served about 15 months in state prison and was released last year
The families of two of his victims are now suing Ruiz and the Oxnard School District
saying the district and its leaders did not do enough to keep the students safe and did not react appropriately once they learned Ruiz was under investigation for sex crimes against children
filed in December in Ventura County Superior Court
says the district did not properly monitor Ruiz at work
did not fire him immediately after his arrest and did not investigate to see if he had more victims than those the police were aware of
It seeks damages for sexual harassment of a minor
distribution of sexually explicit material of a minor
infliction of emotional distress and negligent hiring
supervision and retention of an unfit employee
it needs to be known to the people whose children go to school in that district
so they can demand change,” said Arash Zabetian
a lawyer for the two victims and their parents
I would want to know if this happened in my child’s school.”
The district’s silence stands in contrast to previous incidents of alleged child abuse by its employees
It cites the case of an office manager who was arrested in 2013 for abusing a teenaged boy
and a teacher who was arrested in 2016 for sexual misconduct with a minor
Neither victim was a student with the district
the district conducted its own investigations and sent letters to all Oxnard School District parents to see if any students had been victimized
The district would not make an administrator available for an interview
citing privacy laws regarding both students and employees as well as the ongoing litigation
“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” said Ginger Shea
the district’s director of enrichment and special programs
Shea said the district placed Ruiz on unpaid leave on Feb
She said that was the first time the district learned he was under criminal investigation
though the victims' lawsuit claims the district got a call from police about it a month earlier
Ruiz remained employed with the district until Feb
The two girls whose families are suing the district were 10 and 12 years old in 2018
according to the lawsuit and to criminal court records
They attended Ramona Elementary School and R.J
The Oxnard School District has 22 schools from preschool through eighth grade
Ruiz had been a district employee since 2014
He often worked alongside elementary and middle school students and had access to their personal data
The lawsuit says that Ruiz would later admit to police he became “obsessed” with the 12-year-old student
He created a Snapchat account posing as a 12-year-old boy
became friends with the girl and then sent her an explicit video of himself
the lawsuit claims he "used OSD resources" to locate her "close contacts
family and friends." That's how he found the 10-year-old
posing as a child and harassing her until she convinced the 12-year-old girl to communicate with him again
Ruiz shares an explicit video of a 7-year-old girl
He also tried to convince both girls to meet him in person
Ruiz found other students who were friends with the girls
taking note of who their friends were and finding those children's personal information through the district's student databases
until the first victim agreed to communicate with him again
Ruiz threatened and blackmailed the 12-year-old girl until she sent him nude photos of herself
then started calling her mother and grandmother
the girl told her family what had been going on
said the criminal case against Ruiz was "a slam dunk."
Zabetian said he was surprised Ruiz didn't get a longer sentence
and by the fact that there was no publicity when he was arrested
especially when they involve school employees
are often the subject of news releases by police or the Ventura County District Attorney's Office
The maximum sentence for the four felony charges Ruiz pleaded guilty to was seven years and eight months in prison
according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office
He was sentenced to two years and eight months
and released after serving about half of that
which is common in California for inmates who earn credit for good behavior and other factors
Chief Deputy District Attorney Miles Weiss
who oversees the department's sexual assault unit
said in an email statement to The Star that Ruiz's guilty plea "accurately reflects his conduct and is in accord with our policy and practice."
“Ruiz is currently being supervised by the Probation Agency
and restrained from certain activities while in the community," Weiss' statement said
"Ruiz is also required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.”
Ruiz has already violated the conditions of his release
he was sentenced to 49 days in jail for violating orders against accessing the internet; having a cell phone with internet access; having an email or phone account without informing his probation officer; and accessing social networking services
The following legal document contains graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse
(This story has been updated with new information from Oxnard police.)
One person was hospitalized with critical injuries Tuesday night after a train struck a semitrailer in Oxnard
that crews assessed the truck driver and two bystanders — one working at a sidewalk vending location and a woman buying food from the vendor
Authorities later said debris from the crash struck the patron
She was taken by ambulance to a hospital with a head injury
and was said to be in critical but stable condition Tuesday night
The food vendor and truck driver refused additional care
Of the 13 passengers on the Metrolink train
The semi had been stopped on southbound Rice when it was hit
Oxnard Police Department officials said in a release
The Metrolink train started at Los Angeles' Union Station at 5:30 p.m
It had been scheduled to arrive in Oxnard at 7:07 p.m.
Kevin Baysinger said officers also assisted at the scene with the injured
both train and vehicle traffic in the immediate vicinity was stopped
Fifth Steet between Rose Avenue and Del Norte Boulevard was closed as were portions of Rice Avenue between Eastman Avenue and East Wooley Road
The commander said officers were investigating the collision
Tuesday's crash happened at a deadly crossing where federal, state and city officials broke ground last month on a major project to build a bridge overpass
The $134.5 million grade separation project at Rice Avenue and Fifth Street will add up to six lanes to carry vehicles
bicyclists and pedestrians over the railroad tracks
the crossing was the scene of a fatal crash between another Metrolink train and a utility truck that got stuck on the tracks
Anyone with information about Tuesday's collision is asked to contact traffic coordinator Cpl
Manuel Perez at 805-385-7750 or at manuel.perez@oxnardpd.org
Stacie N. Galang is news director of the Ventura County Star. She can be reached at stacie.galang@vcstar.com or 805-437-0222
(This story has been updated with new information from fire officials.)
A New Year's Day crash in Oxnard involving three pickup trucks left one person in critical condition and several others injured
with one driver arrested for suspected DUI
Oxnard Police Department officers responded to the collision at Wooley Road and Commercial Avenue
a 2002 Ford Ranger and a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado — all had major damage
The F-350 was found in the middle of the intersection and the other trucks were on opposite sides of the crossing
No update on his condition was available Thursday morning
six people were taken to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to critical
Traffic investigators determined the driver of the F-350
had been traveling westbound on Wooley when he entered the intersection at Commercial while the traffic light was red
The two other trucks had been crossing Wooley on a green light when the F-350 hit them
Officers evaluated the driver of the F-350 for signs of drug or alcohol use and suspected him of being impaired
Speed was also believed to be a contributing factor in the crash
The driver was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence of drugs causing injury
He remained at the main jail Thursday with bail set at $60,000
with a court appearance scheduled for Friday afternoon
Oxnard Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike McCaslin said the Ford Ranger was on fire when crews arrived
The driver was being pulled out of the burning truck by an Oxnard police officer
The incident closed lanes at the intersection for hours
Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Alexis Arellano at 805-385-7749 or at alexis.arellano@oxnardpd.org
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com
(This article was updated to link to the latest version of the Oxnard Police Department's video.)
Oxnard police released a video Tuesday of a shooting in October that shows a man aiming a handgun at officers just before they opened fire
Cesar Ayalaarteaga, 34, was wounded by a single gunshot from police and stayed a week in the hospital
He has spent the last three months in Ventura County jail held on $1 million bail and has pleaded not guilty to 22 felony charges stemming from the incident
Police shot Ayalaarteaga on Oct. 21 after a standoff that lasted less than an hour
He yelled and swore at officers from the patio of his apartment in Oxnard
eventually coming out of the front door with a gun in his hand and holding it to his own head
two officers fired a total of four shots at him
The Oxnard Police Department and the Ventura County District Attorney's Office are both still investigating the shooting
Police spell the man's name as Ayala-Arteaga
but it is listed in Ventura County Superior Court records as one word
it did appear that the officers were acting within department policy
and there was nothing that would prevent them from returning to their assignments," said Oxnard Police Cmdr
The video released Tuesday includes some of the body camera footage from officers at the scene and cell phone video from a bystander
as well as narration from Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites and Assistant Chief Christopher Williams
The rest of the body camera footage and other evidence will be publicly available when the investigation is complete
He's also shooting a gun'Police received multiple calls the evening of Oct
someone said they'd been cut off on Victoria Avenue by a white sedan
and the driver then got out and fired a gun into the air
another caller said the driver of a white sedan had brandished a revolver while driving and then sped off
a resident of an apartment complex on Leeward Way — a street off of Victoria Avenue
just east of the Seabridge development — called 911
"There's a white Lexus driving around," the caller said
according to a recording that was included in the video
"He's driving really fast around the parking lot
Officers arrived soon after and found the Lexus empty in the parking lot of the complex
A man later identified as Ayalaarteaga was standing on the fenced patio of a nearby apartment
but wouldn't leave the patio to talk to the officers
He soon became "agitated and belligerent," Williams said
throwing a trash can over the fence at them and refusing their demands to hold up his hands and leave the patio
Ayalaarteaga eventually came out the front door
An officer shocked him with a Taser but it had no apparent effect
He came outside again with a gun in his hand
Ayalaarteaga then went inside and closed the window blinds
He came out a few minutes later and got into his car
got out and again stood in front of the apartment
A video shot by a bystander clearly shows Ayalaarteaga then raised his gun and pointed it toward the officers
McAlpine and Garcia immediately fired at him
Paramedics who had already been called to the scene administered aid and took Ayalaarteaga to Ventura County Medical Center
when he was immediately arrested and charged with crimes that include assault with a deadly weapon
This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism.