John Crombach Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department R. Jason Benites Assistant Chief Scott Whitney Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

DETAILS: 

On 02/26/10 at 1545 hours, members from the Oxnard Police Department Special Enforcement Unit observed a vehicle occupied by several Oxnard gang members casing a residential area near Channel Islands High School. The subjects were subsequently seen tagging gang graffiti on a wall in the vicinity of the school. The subjects were contacted on a traffic stop as they attempted to leave the area in the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that the subjects were in possession of two handguns, one of which was loaded. All three subjects were arrested for multiple weapons violations including possession of a handgun in a school zone, graffiti vandalism, possession of graffiti tools, and committing a crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang.

The juvenile was transported to Juvenile Hall. Romero and Hart are being held on $100,000 bail each at the Ventura County Jail.

John Crombach Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department R. Jason Benites Assistant Chief Scott Whitney Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

DETAILS: 

On Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 11:58 P.M., Oxnard police received a call about a found duffle bag in the 1400 block of Windshore Way. When officers arrived, the bag was found to be full of beer cans, wine and liquor bottles.

A short time later, officers located two unescorted male juveniles on bicycles in the same area. An investigation determined the two 16-year-olds had broken into boats docked in the 4000 block of Harbor Island Lane and stole bottles and cans of alcohol from each of 11 boats.

Both juveniles were arrested without incident and transported to the Oxnard Police Department for booking. Both were released to their parents and face 11 counts of burglary each.

John Crombach Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department R. Jason Benites Assistant Chief Scott Whitney Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

DETAILS:

As the Memorial Day weekend is approaching, the Oxnard Police Department will conduct a multi-location sobriety and drivers license checkpoint Thursday night, May 27th, from 6:00 P.M. to midnight. The checkpoint will be held throughout the City of Oxnard.

During the Memorial Day weekend in 2009, the Oxnard Police Department investigated over 20 motor vehicle collisions with eight of them involving injuries. Four of those crashes involved a DUI driver. Officers also arrested 20 DUI drivers during that weekend.

Statewide, over 385 people were injured or killed during the 2009 Memorial Day weekend.

So far this year, the Oxnard Police Department has arrested over 394 DUI drivers.

On Saturday night, May 29th, officers from the Oxnard Police Department will join forces with other law enforcement officers in Ventura County to conduct another DUI checkpoint in the City of Port Hueneme. In addition to the checkpoints this weekend, several officers will be deployed to conduct DUI patrol this weekend in the cities of Fillmore, Santa Paula, Moorpark, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, and Oxnard. All of these DUI operations are funded by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Oxnard Police Department is committed to improving traffic safety and will continue to conduct these checkpoints and DUI enforcement operations in an effort to reduce the number of alcohol related crashes and to make our roadways and community safer.

We also remind people that if they see an impaired driver to dial 911. Please buckle up, drive sober, and drive safely!

For any questions related to DUI and traffic enforcement, please contact Senior Officer Brian Woolley at (805) 385-7749 or via e-mail at brianwoolley@oxnardpd.org.

John Crombach Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department R. Jason Benites Assistant Chief Scott Whitney Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

DETAILS:

On August 31, 2010, at approximately 1207 hours, officers from the Oxnard Police Department responded to the intersection of Vineyard Avenue and Simon Way after receiving a call of a traffic collision involving a tow truck and three pedestrians. While officers were enroute to the collision, several calls were received of an addition pedestrian/vehicle-involved collision at the intersection of Vineyard Avenue and Walnut Drive. Once on scene, officers and EMS personnel found that a tow truck driven by Mehran Khamseh, 45 years of Oxnard had struck Alma Lopez, 19 years of Oxnard, and her two children, a three year old and a one year old, as they were crossing Vineyard Av. at Simon Way.

Preliminary investigation indicates that Khamseh was making a left turn from westbound Simon Way to southbound Vineyard Av. on a green light. Ms. Lopez was pushing a baby stroller occupied by the two children across Vineyard Av. at Simon Way in the southern, marked crosswalk. She was crossing on a green light. Khamseh proceeded to make the left turn and struck the trio. As a result of being struck, Ms. Lopez was knocked to the ground and stroller became pinned beneath the tow truck. Khamseh continued traveling southbound on Vineyard, dragging the occupied stroller approximately ¼ mile where he subsequently stopped after being chased and flagged down by several witnesses.

Both children sustained serious injuries as a result of being dragged and were transported to the Ventura County Medical Center where they are listed in critical condition. Lopez was also transported for moderate injuries.

Investigators are trying to determine why Khamseh struck the trio at the intersection of Vineyard Av. and Simon Way and why he drove ¼ mile away from the scene before stopping. It has not been determined whether or not drugs or alcohol were a factor.

If anyone has information about this collision please contact Senior Officer Maria Pena at 805-385-7750

An investigation is continuing.

John Crombach Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department R. Jason Benites Assistant Chief Scott Whitney Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

DETAILS:

On 9/13/10 at approximately 2:05 a.m., Officer Moses Martinez was patrolling the area of the 800 block of Commercial Avenue when he heard what sounded like a vehicular collision. He immediately began searching the area.

He quickly came across two male subjects who were obviously injured. The two subjects started to claim that they were just carjacked. Officers in the area quickly located the vehicle which was lodged in the main office entrance to the Smucker’s building located at 800 Commercial Avenue.

After further questioning one of the subjects, Ignacio Rivas De La Cruz, admitted to driving the vehicle and that they were not carjacked. He was heavily intoxicated. He provided the officers with a breath sample which revealed his blood alcohol content to be .16 percent.

De La Cruz was arrested for felony drunk driving.

John Crombach Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department R. Jason Benites Assistant Chief Scott Whitney Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

DETAILS:

On 09-23-2010 at 10:44 AM, officers were dispatched to the 2600 block of Cabrillo way in the City of Oxnard; reference a possible residential burglary in progress. A citizen reported that two males approximately seventeen years of age jumped the side fence of a residence into the rear yard. When officers arrived on scene a perimeter was set around the residence. A male juvenile exited the front door of the residence with bags containing stolen property and was taken into custody. The second suspect fled out the rear door of the residence and was taken into custody a short time later, in the rear yard of a residence in the 2600 block of Ruby Dr. Both suspects were booked into Juvenile Hall for residential burglary.

As a precautionary measure, during the search for the second suspect, Oxnard High School was locked down for approximately twenty minutes. No students or faculty were in any danger.

The identity of the suspects is being withheld due to their age.

The Oxnard Police Department encourages citizens to keep a watchful eye and report suspicious activity to the police.

If you have any further information on this crime please contact Senior Detective Mancha at the above contact numbers.

John Crombach Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department R. Jason Benites Assistant Chief Scott Whitney Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

DETAILS:

On August 17th 2010, Oxnard police officers were dispatched to a reported shooting in the area of San Jose Street at Halcon Street in the City of Oxnard. Upon arrival, officers located shooting victim Adrian Lerma. Lerma had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The subsequent investigation has determined Oxnard resident Rene Ramos, Date of Birth July 17th, 1985, is responsible for the Lerma murder. Ramos fled the area after the murder. A murder case has been filed by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office against Ramos and there is an active warrant for Ramos’s arrest for the murder.

The City of Oxnard has a long standing policy to offer a reward for the arrest and conviction of homicide suspects. That offer is extended to this case as well. Anyone who provides information on the whereabouts of Ramos which directly leads to his capture and arrest is eligible to share in a $10,000 reward. See the attached flyer.

Please direct all information to the Oxnard Police Departments Violent Crimes Hotline at (805) 982-7070, Detective Adam Wittkins at (805) 385-7649 or via e-mail at AdamWittkins@OxnardPd.org.