OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:

Homicide Investigation

DATE/TIME:

June 11, 2017 at approximately 10:19 p.m.

LOCATION:

Wilson Park

350 North C Street, Oxnard

VICTIM(S):

Eduardo Banales, 33 year old Oxnard resident

SUSPECT(S):

Unknown

PREPARED BY:

Sergeant Alex Arnett 805-385-7620

[email protected]

CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:

Detective Miguel Serrato 805-385-7688

[email protected]

DETAILS:

On June 11, 2017, at approximately 10:19 p.m., the Oxnard Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 call of a subject that was shot in the area of Wilson Park, located at 350 North C Street. The police officers arrived on scene and located a male shooting victim, later identified as 33 year old Eduardo Banales of Oxnard. The victim was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) in critical condition. On June 13, 2017 at approximately 3 p.m., Mr. Banales died from his injuries associated with the gunshot wounds.

This is Oxnard’s 10^th homicide of the year. The motive for the murder is unknown at this time.

The Oxnard Police Department is requesting the Community’s assistance. If anyone has further information about this or any recent homicides, they are encouraged to call Detective Miguel Serrato at (805) 385-7688. If you wish to remain anonymous you may call the violent crimes hotline at (805) 982-7070 or 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.

DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 14, 2017 / 10:30 a.m.

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Fireworks Are Dangerous and Strictly Prohibited in Oxnard
DATE/TIME:	June 12, 2016/ 3:45pm
PREPARED BY:	Melissa Valdez, Community Affairs Manager
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Melissa Valdez (805) 342-8292 melissa.valdez @oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:

According to the National Fire Protection Association website “From 2009-2013, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 18,500 fires caused by fireworks. These fires included 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires and 16,900 outside and other fires”

Please consider the following facts:

In 2014, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 10,500 people for fireworks related injuries; 51% of those injuries were to the extremities and 38% were to the head.
The risk of fireworks injury is highest for young people ages 5-9, followed by children 10-19.
Sparklers alone account for more than one-quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries.

Fireworks are not just strictly prohibited in Oxnard – they’re dangerous. Playing with them could cost a child or you serious burns to the head, face, hands, and body. It could also cost you a thousands of dollars for using or possessing them. And if they cause property damage, you’ll pay even more. Anyone possessing, storing, selling, using, transporting or handling fireworks is subject to arrest or fines of up to $1,000. Fireworks can also cause serious injury to pets. Dogs, cats, and horses get scared by fireworks, causing them to panic and escape, get lost, wind up at animal shelters or even run into the street resulting in motor vehicle accidents and injuries.

The City of Oxnard encourages the public to help keep family, friends and neighbors safe during the July Fourth holiday by calling the Oxnard Police Department’s hotline, (805) 394-5884, to report the habitual use of illegal fireworks. The hotline can be used during and leading up to the holiday. The line is not staffed and is for messages only. Hotline callers can remain anonymous, and any information provided will remain confidential. Tips received through the hotline will help the Police Department’s Neighborhood Police Team better identify fireworks-prone areas and quickly address illegal activity. The hotline, (805) 394-5884, is dedicated solely to the reporting of habitual fireworks.

A list of additional resources available to the public is noted below:

Habitual fireworks: Email the Police Department at [email protected]

In-progress fireworks: Call the Police Department’s dispatch line at (805) 385-7740. Be prepared to provide specific information regarding the firework activity. For example, address, suspect description, etc.

Emergencies: (e.g., house fires, injuries): Dial 9-1-1

Members of the public who want to dispose of illegal fireworks can stop by any of the Oxnard Fire Department’s eight stations to hand over fireworks without facing penalties:

Station 1: 491 S. K St.

Station 2: 531 E. Pleasant Valley Rd.

Station 3: 150 Hill St.

Station 4: 230 W. Vineyard Ave.

Station 5: 1450 Colonia Rd.

Station 6: 2601 Peninsula Rd.

Station 7: 3300 Turnout Park Circle

Station 8: 3000 S. Rose Ave.

The City encourages the public to enjoy the free annual fireworks show, Fireworks by the Sea, at Channel Islands Harbor. For more information, visit www.channelislandsharbor.org.

Be smart on the 4th of July – don’t kid around with fireworks!

DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 12, 2017/ 3:45pm

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Update – Located Missing Dependent Adult
DATE/TIME:	June 11, 2017; 8:13 a.m.
LOCATION:	1300 block W. Iris St.
VICTIM(S):	Ricky Solis, 39 years old
PREPARED BY:	Chris Inglehart, Sergeant 805-385-7771
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Chris Inglehart, Sergeant 805-385-7771

DETAILS:

The missing person returned safely to his residence on 6/11/17 at 2330 hours.

The Oxnard Police Department is currently searching for a 39 year old dependent adult who walked away from his home in the 1300 block of W. Iris St. Ricky was described as a Hispanic male, 5’11”, 225 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black leather Scooby Doo jacket, Denver Broncos hat, and black jeans.

Anyone who has seen Ricky or knows his whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7740.

Ricky Solis

DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 12, 2017/ 1010 hours

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Missing Dependent Adult
DATE/TIME:	June 11, 2017; 8:13 a.m.
LOCATION:	1300 block W. Iris St.
VICTIM(S):	Ricky Solis, 39 years old
PREPARED BY:	Bakari Myers, Sergeant [email protected] 805-385-7771
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Bakari Myers, Sergeant [email protected] 805-385-7771

DETAILS:

Anyone who has seen Ricky or knows his whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7740.

Ricky Solis

DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 11, 2017/ 1130 hours

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Fatal Traffic Collision
DATE/TIME:	June 10, 2017 / 5:12 a.m.
LOCATION:	SR-34 (Fifth Street) west of Rice Avenue, Oxnard
1^st DRIVER/VEHICLE:	Hispanic male, 57-year-old (Name withheld pending notification to family) Grey 2007 Honda Accord
2^nd DRIVER/VEHICLE	Lloyd Harvey (Passenger), 70-year-old, Resident of Jacksonville, Arkansa White 2015 Volvo Semi truck and trailer
PREPARED BY:	Maria Peña, Traffic Collision Investigator (805) 385-7750 [email protected]
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Maria Peña, Senior Officer (805) 385-7750 [email protected]

DETAILS:

On Saturday, June 10, 2017, at approximately 5:12 a.m., officers from the Oxnard Police Department and EMS personnel responded to a collision on SR-34 (Fifth Street) west of Rice Avenue. When officers and EMS personnel arrived, they discovered a grey Honda Accord had collided into the trailer of a parked semi-truck. Based on the preliminary investigation, the driver of the Honda was traveling westbound on SR-34 (Fifth Street) from Rice Avenue. Mr. Llyoyd Harvey was sleeping in the cab compartment of the semi-truck. For unknown reasons, the Honda veered to the right, off the roadway, and struck the rear of the trailer attached to a semi-truck.

The driver of the Honda was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision by EMS personnel. Mr. Harvey was not injures as a result of the collision.

It is unknown if alcohol and/or drugs are involved. The collision is still under investigation.

Anyone who has information about this collision is urged to contact Senior Officer Maria Peña at (805) 385-7750 or via email at [email protected].

DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 10, 2017 / 9:25 a.m.

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Kidnapping / Extortion Arrest
DATE/TIME:	June 10, 2017 5:17 a.m.
LOCATION:	1200 blk. North Oxnard Blvd.
VICTIM(S):	Withheld
SUSPECT(S):	Cesar Solis, 36 year old San Diego County Resident
PREPARED BY:	Bakari Myers, Sergeant [email protected] 805-385-7771
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Bakari Myers, Sergeant [email protected] 805-385-7771

DETAILS:

On June 10, 2017, at approximately 4:19 a.m., officers received a call reference a kidnapping. The caller stated that he received a call from an unknown male suspect who stated that the victim’s wife had been smuggled into the country from Mexico, and that he was going to hold the victim’s wife for ransom. The suspect told the victim that he would drive the victim’s wife to Oxnard and would release the victim’s wife in exchange for an undisclosed amount of cash.

As the victim was being interviewed by officers, the victim received several updates from the suspect regarding the victim’s wife’s location. The suspect ultimately gave the victim a vehicle description and a location to meet.

Officers responded to the location and located a vehicle that matched the description. Officers made contact with the occupants and located the suspect and the victim’s wife. The victim’s wife was unharmed but stated that the suspect threatened to kill her if her husband did not arrive with the money.

The suspect, 36 year old San Diego County resident Cesar Solis, was arrested for the following felony charges: extortion, criminal threats, and kidnapping. Solis was also charged with possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia. Solis has a prior robbery conviction out of San Diego County.

“Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7600, or 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 at tip via text or email.”

DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 10, 2017 / 0900 Hours

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Road Closure
DATE/TIME:	June 10, 2017 at 5:12 a.m.
LOCATION:	Rice Ave. at Fifth St.
PREPARED BY:	Bakari Myers, Sergeant [email protected] 805-385-7771
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Bakari Myers, Sergeant [email protected] 805-385-7771

DETAILS:

Officers are at the scene of a fatal collision on Fifth St. near Rice Ave. Fifth St. is closed between Rice Ave. and Rose Ave. Motorist are advised to use alternate routes. Media release on the fatal collision to follow.

DATE / TIME PREPARED: 06/10/17 at 0712 hours

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint Results
DATE/TIME:	Friday, June 9, 2017 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.
LOCATION:	City of Oxnard
PREPARED BY:	Jamie Brown, Senior Officer
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator (805) 385-7749 [email protected]

DUI Checkpoint Nets Five Arrests

The Oxnard Police Department Traffic Unit with the assistance of the Port Hueneme Police Department and the California Highway Patrol conducted two DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints on June 9, 2017, between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. The first location was southbound Rose Avenue north of First Street. The second checkpoint was southbound Ventura Road south of Bay Boulevard. Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.

In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. The Oxnard Police Department supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

The following are the results of the checkpoints:

764 vehicles screened
Four DUI-Alcohol suspects arrested
One DUI-Drug impaired suspect arrested
Nine drivers cited/arrested for operating a vehicle unlicensed or while suspended
15 citations issued

Drivers are encouraged to download the Designated Driver VIP, or “DDVIP,” free mobile app for Android or iPhone. The DDVIP app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more. The feature-packed app even has social media tie-ins and even a tab for the non-DD to call Uber, Lyft or Curb.

Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses that can exceed $10,000 not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out.

The Oxnard Police Department will be conducting additional DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols in our ongoing commitment to lowering deaths and injuries upon our streets and highways.

The checkpoint was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1’.

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OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation
DATE/TIME:	June 12, 2017 / 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
PREPARED BY:	Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator (805) 385-7749 [email protected]
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator (805) 385-7749 [email protected]

DETAILS:

Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Operation Planned on Monday, June 12, 2017

The Oxnard Police Department will be conducting a Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation on June 12, 2017, with focused enforcement on collision causing factors involving motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

The Oxnard Police Department has mapped out locations over the past three years where pedestrian and bike collisions have occurred along with the violations that led to those crashes. Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas where bike and pedestrian traffic and crashes occur in an effort to lower deaths and injuries.

Officers will be looking for violations made by drivers, bike riders, and pedestrians alike that can lead to life-changing injuries. Special attention will be directed toward drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to stop for signs and signals, failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, or any other dangerous violations.\

Additionally, enforcement will be taken for observed violations when pedestrians cross the street illegally or fail to yield to drivers who have the right of way. Pedestrians should cross the street only at marked crosswalks or corners. Bike riders will be stopped and citations issued when they fail to follow the same traffic laws that apply to motorists. All riders are reminded to always wear a helmet – those under 18 years of age must wear helmets by law.

Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities are rising in California as more people use these non-motorized means of transportation. Locally, the Oxnard Police Department has investigated 14 fatal and 506 injury collisions involving pedestrians and bicyclists during the past three years. In 2013, California witnessed 701 pedestrians and 141 bicyclists killed, accounting for more than 28 percent of all traffic fatalities.

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

DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 9, 2017 / 10:00 p.m.

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OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint
DATE/TIME:	June 9, 2017 / 8:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m.
PREPARED BY:	Jamie Brown, Senior Officer
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Senior Officer Jamie Brown (805) 385-7749 [email protected]

DETAILS:

DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint Planned this Weekend

The Oxnard Police Department Traffic Unit with the assistance of the Port Hueneme Police Department and the California Highway Patrol will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on June 9, 2017, at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. Oxnard PD supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

The deterrent effect of High Visibility Enforcement using both DUI Checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols has proven to lower the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug-impaired crashes. Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized proactive DUI operations are conducted routinely.

DUI checkpoints like this one are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, affording the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence. Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.

In California, alcohol involved collisions led to 1,155 deaths and nearly 24,000 serious injuries in 2014 because someone failed to designate a sober driver. Over the course of the past three years, Oxnard PD officers have investigated 735 DUI collisions which have claimed eight lives and resulted in another 476 injuries.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing, delaying motorists only momentarily. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which now accounts for a growing number of impaired driving crashes.

Studies of California drivers have shown that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol. Everyone should be mindful that if you’re taking medication – whether prescription or over-the-counter – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment affects.

Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspensions and other expenses that can exceed $10,000 not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Oxnard Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1’.

The Oxnard Police Department conducts sobriety and license checkpoints in an effort to deter impaired driving. It is not the Oxnard Police Department’s policy to utilize these checkpoints to enforce federal immigration laws.

DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 8, 2017 / 8:00 a.m.

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