News Releases

The City of Oxnard is experiencing heavy traffic in the area around Vineyard Avenue and Oxnard Boulevard. A malfunctioning Union Pacific railroad arm is causing heavy congestion at nearby intersections. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes.

Union Pacific railroad has been notified.

Anyone with additional information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Union Pacific Railroad Emergency Number at (800) 848-8715, selection #2, or online via the UPRR website at up.com/aboutup/community/safety/railroadcrossings/index.htm

Union Pacific Railroad has made the necessary repairs, and the area is now returning to normal traffic flow. Thank you for your patience.

Forwarded message –
From: Pinkstaff, Andrew <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, Dec 31, 2023 at 12:09 PM
Subject: City of Oxnard Traffic Incident – Vineyard Avenue and Oxnard Boulevard
To: DL – Press Releases <[email protected]>

Union Pacific railroad has been notified.

NEWS RELEASE

DATE/TIME: December 29, 2023 / 7:15PM

SUBJECT: Firearm Arrest

SUSPECT: Ernesto Magana, 34-year-old Oxnard resident

LOCATION: Valley Park Drive and Birch Street, Oxnard

CONTACT: Kevin Baysinger, Commander

[email protected]

(805) 385-7746 (Th-Sat 4PM-4AM)

On the above date and time, an Oxnard police officer contacted Magana, the driver and sole occupant of a parked vehicle. The officer observed narcotic paraphernalia inside the vehicle. During a further search of the vehicle, officers located a .22 caliber ‘switch gun’ revolver in the driver’s compartment of the vehicle. Magana was arrested for a firearm-related violation.

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 by calling the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800)222-8477. You can also visit their website: www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org to submit a tip via text or email.

NEWS RELEASE

DATE: December 27, 2023 (7:19 p.m.)

SUBJECT: Suspects Arrested for Felony Evading and Robbery

SUSPECTS: Oscar Rojas , 19-year-old Oxnard resident

Jose Rocha, 22-year-old Oxnard resident

Yordi Diaz, 19-year-old Oxnard resident

LOCATION: 2100 blk Greencastle Wy., Oxnard

CONTACT: Bakari Myers, Sergeant

(805) 797-6202 | [email protected]

On December 27, at approximately 7:19 p.m., officers from the Oxnard Special Enforcement Unit (Gang Unit) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near the intersection of D St. and Guava St. The vehicle failed to yield and a pursuit ensued. The pursuit traveled west on Hemlock toward Victoria Ave., and was canceled due to the suspect’s reckless driving.

A few minutes after the pursuit was canceled, residents in the 4000 blk. of W. Hemlock St. reported seeing an abandoned vehicle with subjects fleeing from it. Some of the residents reported seeing the subjects flee through their rear yards. Officers responded to the area and located the suspect vehicle abandoned in the 4000 blk. of W. Hemlock St. Officers and police dispatch continued to receive updates from residents in the area regarding suspects fleeing through their property. The four suspects were ultimately apprehended in the 2100 blk. of Greencastle Wy. All four of the suspects were arrested for various charges. Investigators from the Violent Crimes Unit responded to interview two of the occupants regarding ongoing robbery investigations.

The driver was identified as Oscar Rojas. Rojas was charged with felony evading. Two passengers in the vehicle were identified as Jose Rocha, and Yordi Diaz. Rocha was arrested for felony warrants related to six different robbery cases. Diaz was arrested for robberies involving five different cases. The third passenger was arrested for trespassing on private property as he fled from officers.

The Oxnard Police Department is committed to reducing violent crime in the City of Oxnard through the strict enforcement of laws specifically targeting known, active gang members residing in the city. 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.

Bakari Myers, Sergeant

Special Enforcement Unit / SWAT

[email protected]

(805) 797-6202

NEWS RELEASE

DATE: December 25, 2023

SUBJECT: Juvenile Assaulted in Oxnard

LOCATION: Yucca Street and Cloyne Street, Oxnard

VICTIMS: 13-Year-Old Males, 23-Year-Old Male, Oxnard Residents

CONTACT: Detective Jared Schacher

(805) 385-8287 | [email protected]

On December 25th at approximately 8:15 PM, Oxnard Police Officers responded to the area of Yucca Street and Cloyne Street reference multiple subjects involved in a fight. Officers located two 13-year-old males and a 23-year-old male suffering from injuries from the fight. One of the 13-year-old males had significant head trauma and was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. The other male subjects had minor injuries. Investigators from the Oxnard Police Department Violent Crimes Unit assumed responsibility for the investigation. The investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time. If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Detective Jared Schacher at 805-385-8287 or by email at [email protected].

Information can be reported online via the Oxnard Police Department’s website: www.oxnardpd.org, and click on “Report Suspicious Activity.” You can remain anonymous and still provide valuable information by calling Ventura Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. You can also visit this site: www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org to submit a tip via text or email.

NEWS RELEASE

DATE/TIME: December 25, 2023 / 4:49PM

SUBJECT: Firearm and DUI Arrest

SUSPECT: Luis Hernandez – 32-year-old Oxnard Resident

LOCATION: 401 South Ventura Road, Oxnard

CONTACT: Steve Trickle, Commander

[email protected]

(805) 385-7746 (Sun-Wed 4PM-2AM)

On the above date and time, Oxnard Police officers were dispatched to the 400 block of South Ventura Road regarding a driver passed out behind the wheel in a restaurant drive-thru lane. Officers removed suspect Hernandez from his truck and later arrested him for DUI and driving with a suspended license from a previous DUI conviction. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded handgun. Hernandez is a prohibited possessor and was also arrested for various firearms related offenses.

Commander Steve Trickle

Oxnard Police Department

Patrol Watch Commander

805-385-7600

NEWS RELEASE

DATE/TIME: December 25, 2023 / 2:37PM

SUBJECT: Firearm Arrest

SUSPECT: Alvaro Dimas – 21-year-old Oxnard resident

Jose Varela – 33-year-old Oxnard resident

Jason Rodriguez – 38-year-old Oxnard resident

LOCATION: Durley Park – 800 block Hill Street, Oxnard

CONTACT: Steve Trickle, Commander

[email protected]

(805) 385-7746 (Sun-Wed 4PM-2AM)

On the above date and time, Oxnard Police officers were dispatched to Durley Park, in the 800 block of Hill Street regarding a possible gang-related fight. Arriving officers contacted and detained Jason Rodriguez, who was later arrested for battery and an outstanding felony warrant. As officers contacted Rodriguez, a vehicle fled from the area of the park at a high rate of speed, and additional responding officers were able to conduct an enforcement stop on the vehicle a short distance away. The occupants of the vehicle, identified as Alvaro Dimas and Jose Varela were arrested for various firearms-related violations after a loaded handgun with a high-capacity magazine was located in the vehicle. All three suspects were later booked into the Ventura County Jail.

Commander Steve Trickle

Oxnard Police Department

Patrol Watch Commander

805-385-7600

NEWS RELEASE

DATE: December 16, 2023

SUBJECT: DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint and DUI Saturation Results

CONTACT: Michael Gens, Sergeant

(805) 385-7847 (Tue-Fri 7AM-5PM) | [email protected]

Four impaired drivers arrested during DUI checkpoint and saturation.

On December 15, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., the Oxnard Police Department held a DUI/Driver’s License checkpoint at Oxnard Boulevard and Wagon Wheel Road. The operation resulted in four arrests for impaired driving, two arrests for driving on a suspended license for DUI, one arrest for reckless driving, and ten 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: December 13, 2023

SUBJECT: Fatal traffic collision involving a bicyclist

LOCATION: West Fifth Street at South K Street

DRIVER: Rene Trujillo, Oxnard Resident

VEHICLE: 2003 Ford Taurus

BICYCLIST: Joseph Smart, Oxnard Resident

CONTACT: Alexis Arellano, Traffic Investigator

(805) 200-5668 (Mon-Thu 7AM-5PM) | [email protected]

On November 5, 2023, at approximately 6:14 p.m., officers from the Oxnard Police Department responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a bicyclist that occurred at the intersection of West Fifth Street and South K Street. The bicyclist, 84-year-old Joseph Smart, sustained major injuries and was transported to a hospital. The driver of the vehicle, Rene Trujillo, was uninjured.

Patrol Officers investigated the collision and completed a traffic collision report. Based on the initial investigation, it was determined that the driver of the Ford Taurus was westbound on Fifth Street and made a left turn at the intersection of South K Street. During the turn, the vehicle collided with the bicyclist, who had been riding eastbound Fifth Street.

On December 12, 2023, the Oxnard Police Traffic Unit was notified that Smart had succumbed to his injuries as a result of the collision.

Patrol Officers did not believe that speed and/or alcohol were contributing factors to the collision. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who has information regarding this collision is urged to contact Traffic Investigator Alexis Arellano at (805)200-5668 or via email at [email protected].

Officers are on the scene of a serious traffic collision in the southbound lanes of Victoria Avenue near 5th Street. The southbound lanes of Victoria are currently closed between Teal Club and West 5th Street. Motorists are advised to make alternative arrangements for their afternoon commute.