Fillmore robbery suspects sought, more Ventura County news

2022-07-23 18:18:38 By : Mr. Jackie Pair

Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County and regional agencies:

FILLMORE — Fillmore deputies are asking the public for help identifying two male suspects from an armed robbery over the weekend.

The robbery was reported at 7:42 a.m. Sunday at La Unica Mini Market, 505 Old Telegraph Road, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, which is contracted for police services in Fillmore.

The suspects reportedly entered the business, pointed firearms at store employees and demanded money before fleeing the scene.

Investigators released surveillance images of the two suspects. Their faces appear covered and they are both wearing baseball-style caps, with one also obscured by a sweatshirt hood. Both are seen wearing long-sleeve sweatshirts with their hands in the pockets.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Corey Stump at 805-384-4745 or corey.stump@ventura.org.

VENTURA COUNTY — One of three suspects allegedly spotted cutting copper telecommunications wire from Southern California Edison utility poles outside Fillmore Wednesday was arrested on suspicion of grand theft.

Deputies and detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff's Fillmore station responded around 3 p.m. to South Mountain Road near Balcom Canyon Road after a resident reported seeing the three suspects cutting the line. The site is in an agricultural area south of the Santa Clara River between Fillmore and Santa Paula.

One of the suspects, a 33-year-old Santa Paula man, was found to be in possession of about 100 feet of copper telecom wire, a ladder and cutting tools, authorities said. The other two suspects fled and had not been found as of Thursday evening.

Detectives found several sections of the wiring had been cut from the Edison poles. About 5,000 feet of cable has been stolen from the area in recent months, the sheriff's office said.

Copper wire thieves typically turn in the stripped metal for money at recycling centers, the agency said.

The suspect, who was on probation for theft-related crimes, was arrested on suspicion of grand theft, conspiracy and vandalism, all felonies, and a misdemeanor violation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's Fillmore Police Station at 805-524-2233.

OXNARD — Ventura County Sheriff's authorities seized multiple unregistered guns, including an assault-style rifle, from the home of an Oxnard-area man arrested Tuesday after an alleged road-rage brandishing incident in Camarillo.

The man had allegedly brandished a firearm at the victim, a 50-year-old Oxnard man, during the road-rage incident Tuesday morning. Deputies found a loaded, unregistered handgun concealed in the suspect's car.

Sheriff's detectives later obtained a gun violence restraining order and served a search warrant at the suspect's home in the 200 block of Rossmore Drive in the unincorporated Silver Strand community outside Oxnard. Along with the unregistered firearms, authorities confiscated hundreds of rounds of live ammunition, the sheriff's office reported Thursday.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of various felony firearms offenses. He was released from custody on a $60,000 bail bond, officials said.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — A fatal crash involving a big rig Thursday morning closed northbound Highway 101 near Gaviota for hours.

The single-vehicle accident took place around 4:50 a.m. on the coastal stretch approaching Gaviota, according to the California Highway Patrol. A 41-year-old Compton man was driving a 2021 International tractor-trailer when it veered off the road and hit a tree.

The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the semi and died at the scene, the CHP reported.

Northbound lanes were closed at 5:15 a.m. for extensive cleanup, which involved removing the semi and cutting up a mature eucalyptus tree, according to CHP log notes.

One northbound lane had been reopened shortly before 11 a.m., although northbound traffic remained jammed along the stretch as of 3 p.m.

All lanes had reopened by 4 p.m.

Motorists were diverted to Interstate 5 during the closure. The incident remains under investigation by the CHP's Santa Barbara office.

OXNARD — A chemical spill involving pool chlorine and muriatic acid brought an hours-long hazardous materials response and closed roads in Oxnard Thursday.

The spill was reported around 7:09 a.m. near the intersection of Wooley and Patterson roads, according to the Oxnard Fire Department.

About 2 to 3 gallons of the chemicals spilled from a broken container, department officials said.

The hazmat response closed some traffic lanes for hours, with crews remaining at the scene until after 11 a.m.