NEWS RELEASE

DATE:         January 30, 2023

SUBJECT:  Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Enforcement

CONTACT: Mike Wood, Corporal  

         (805) 385-7749 | Mike.Wood@oxnardpd.org

The Oxnard Police Department will conduct a traffic safety operation on January 31, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.

These violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, or failing to stop for signs and signals.

The Oxnard Police Department offers steps drivers and pedestrians can take to greatly reduce the risk of getting injured or in a crash:

Pedestrians 

·         Be predictable. Use crosswalks, when available.  

·         Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.  

·         Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop. 

·         Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you – wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night. 

·         Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits. 

Drivers 

·         Follow the speed limit and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks. 

·         Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn. 

·         Never drive impaired.

Bicyclists

·         Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet. 

·         Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle. 

·         Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars. 

·         If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed. 

·         Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections.  

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

NEWS RELEASE

DATE:           January 27, 2023

SUBJECT:    DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints and Saturation Patrol Results

CONTACT:   Jose Diaz, Sergeant

                        (805) 385-7847 jose.diaz@oxnardpd.org

Six impaired drivers arrested during two simultaneous DUI checkpoints and saturation patrol.

On January 26, 2023, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m., the Oxnard Police Department collaborated with the California Highway Patrol – Ventura Office and held two simultaneous DUI/Driver’s License checkpoints and a city-wide saturation patrol. The first checkpoint was held at Wooley Road and A Street, and the second location was held at Saviers Road and Iris Street.  The operations resulted in six arrests for impaired driving and forty-one citations.

Checkpoint locations are based on a history of crashes and DUI arrests. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired.

Funding for this checkpoint and DUI enforcement patrols was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

NEWS RELEASE

DATE:                                 January 23, 2023, 11:30 PM

SUBJECT:                          Subject Arrested in Possession of a Firearm

LOCATION:                        5300 block Squires Drive, Oxnard

Suspect:                             Gerardo Bravo, 19-year-old, Oxnard Resident

CONTACT:                          Rocky Marquez, Commander

                                            (805) 385-7600 | rocky.marquez@Oxnardpd.org

On January 23, at approximately 11:30 PM, officers from the Oxnard Police Department conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation at the above location. While contacting the vehicle's occupants, officers learned a firearm was concealed underneath the driver's seat. The driver of the vehicle, Gerardo Bravo, was arrested for firearms-related violations. 

Anyone with information regarding this case or other criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7600, or online via the Oxnard Police Department's website:  www.oxnardpd.org, and clicking on Report Suspicious Activity.   You can remain anonymous if you choose to do so. You can remain anonymous by calling the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. You can also visit this site: www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org to submit a tip via text or email. Booking photographs for adult felony arrests are available on the department website:  www.oxnardpd.org under crime & safety, and booking / call logs.  

NEWS RELEASE

DATE:         January 24, 2023

SUBJECT:  DUI and Driver’s License Checkpoints and DUI Enforcement Patrols

CONTACT: Mike Wood, Corporal  

         (805) 385-7749 | Mike.Wood@oxnardpd.org

Oxnard Police Department to hold two DUI Checkpoints and extra patrols for suspected impaired drivers

The Oxnard Police Department has collaborated with the California Highway Patrol – Ventura Office to hold two DUI/Driver’s license checkpoints on Thursday, January 26, 2023. The checkpoints will be held at undisclosed locations within the city. Both agencies will also have additional officers on patrol, specifically looking for drivers suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The DUI Checkpoints and DUI patrols will be from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

DUI checkpoints and patrols are done in locations with a history of DUI-related collisions and arrests. During the checkpoint, officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing.

In 2018, 1,069 people were killed on California roads in crashes involving drivers who had a blood alcohol content over the legal limit (.08 or above). The Oxnard Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Prescription or over-the-counter medications with an operating heavy machinery warning on the label can also impair. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

If you plan on drinking or are taking medications that can affect your ability to drive, please take these precautions to avoid a DUI:

●       Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab, or public transportation – to get home.

●       Walking while impaired is also dangerous. Have someone sober walk you home or stay with you until a sober driver is available to pick you up.

●       Report drunk drivers – Call 911.

●       Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who is drinking and how they are getting home.

A DUI arrest is not cheap. Drivers charged with DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license and possible jail time.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.