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News release – 10/27/2011

Archives for October 2011


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police		 Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

INCIDENT:  Prescription Drug Take Back Day    
DATE/TIME:  Saturday, October 29  9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
LOCATION:  Oxnard PD – 251 South C Street
VICTIM(S):  
SUSPECT(S):  
WITNESS(ES):  
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):  
LOSS:  
PREPARED BY:  Commander Andrew Salinas
CONTACT PERSON &
CONTACT INFO:		  

DETAILS:
Oxnard, California – On October 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Oxnard Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your medications for disposal to the Oxnard Police Department located at 251 South C Street.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
 
Last April, Americans turned in 376,593 pounds – 188 tons – of prescription drugs at nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners.  The Oxnard Police Department collected over 1000 pounds during this collection. 
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – both pose potential safety and health hazards.
Four days after the first Take-Back event in September 2010, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them.  The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances.  DEA has begun drafting regulations to implement the Act, a process that can take as long as 24 months.  Until new regulations are in place, local law enforcement agencies like the Oxnard Police Department and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months. 
 


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police		 Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

INCIDENT:  Homicide
DATE/TIME:  October 12, 2011 at 9 p.m.
LOCATION:  4500 Terrace Avenue
VICTIM(S):  19-year-old male / resident of Oxnard
SUSPECT(S):  #1 Hispanic male adult, 5’5” heavy build, dark complexion, goatee, wearing blue and white shorts
#2 Hispanic male, 17 years old, 5’8” medium build
WITNESS(ES):  n/a    
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):  n/a
LOSS:  n/a
PREPARED BY:  Sergeant Christopher Williams
CONTACT PERSON &
CONTACT INFO:		  Mónica Muñoz, Community Affairs Manager
monica.munoz@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:
On October 12, 2011 at about 9 p.m., Oxnard Police officers were handling another call for service in the 4500 block Terrace Avenue when they heard several gunshots in the immediate area. While checking the area, the officers located a 19-year-old victim who had been shot and had several stab wounds. The victim was transported to VCMC where he underwent extensive surgery. Unfortunately the victim did not survive his injuries.

According to witnesses, the victim was walking in the 4500 block of Terrace Ave when an argument took place which involved at least two other men. The witness heard several gunshots and saw several people running through the alley. 

The motive for the attack is unknown at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Bakari Myers at (805) 385-7686 or remain anonymous and call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police		 Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

INCIDENT:
DATE/TIME:  Jewelry Store Armed Robbery  October 28, 2011 1:24 p.m.
LOCATION:  Daniel’s Jewelers, 2051 N. Rose Ave
VICTIM(S):  
SUSPECT(S):  white male, late 20s, 5’8″ 160 lbs, thin build, sunglasses, green bandana, black baseball cap, black jacket, dark blue pants
WITNESS(ES):  
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):  
LOSS:  undisclosed
PREPARED BY:  Robin Whitney, Sergeant
CONTACT PERSON &
CONTACT INFO:		  Steve Funk, Detective
385-7796

DETAILS:
The above described suspect entered the establishment while it was open for business. The suspect displayed a handgun, threatened the employees, removed a hammer and began breaking several glass display cases containing jewelry. The suspect removed various jewelry items, placed them in a backpack and in his pockets, then fled on foot southbound towards Gonzales Rd. There were no injuries related to this incident.
 
An investigation is continuing. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact Detective Steve Funk
 
DATE / TIME PREPARED:  10/28/11, 6:10 p.m.
 


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police		 Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

INCIDENT:
DATE/TIME:  Jewelry Store Armed Robbery  October 28, 2011 1:24 p.m.
LOCATION:  Daniel’s Jewelers, 2051 N. Rose Ave
VICTIM(S):  
SUSPECT(S):  white male, late 20s, 5'8" 160 lbs, thin build, sunglasses, green bandana, black baseball cap, black jacket, dark blue pants
WITNESS(ES):  
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):  
LOSS:  undisclosed
PREPARED BY:  Robin Whitney, Sergeant
CONTACT PERSON &
CONTACT INFO:		  Steve Funk, Detective
385-7796

DETAILS:
The above described suspect entered the establishment while it was open for business. The suspect displayed a handgun, threatened the employees, removed a hammer and began breaking several glass display cases containing jewelry. The suspect removed various jewelry items, placed them in a backpack and in his pockets, then fled on foot southbound towards Gonzales Rd. There were no injuries related to this incident.
 
An investigation is continuing. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact Detective Steve Funk
 
DATE / TIME PREPARED:  10/28/11, 6:10 p.m.
 


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police		 Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:  Multiple hit and run suspect arrested after pursuit
DATE/TIME:  10-30-2011 at 4:40 p.m.
LOCATION:  Rose Ave. north of Gonzales Rd.
VICTIM(S):  
SUSPECT(S):  Servando Mendez, 45 years, of Oxnard
WITNESS(ES):  
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):  Green Nissan Altima
LOSS:  
PREPARED BY:  Tom Chronister, Commander
CONTACT PERSON &
CONTACT INFO:		  Ohad Katzman, Police Officer II
805-385-7600 or ohad.katzman@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:  Oxnard police were dispatched to a call of a hit and run in the area of Rose Ave. and Gonzales Rd.  As officers arrived, they found three separate collision scenes in the area along Rose Ave. north of Gonzales Rd. to the US-101 freeway. Bystanders pointed out the suspect vehicle as it fled northbound on Rose Ave.
 
Officer Ohad Katzman attempted to stop the suspect vehicle but the driver fled over the 101 freeway overpass to Auto Center Drive where Officer Katzman initiated a pursuit of the vehicle by activating red lights and siren. Speeds reached 60 mph as the driver fled eastbound on Auto Center Drive.
 
Suddenly, the suspect vehicle’s hood flew open, blocking the driver’s view out the windshield. Officer Katzman immediately discontinued his pursuit. The driver, Servando Mendez, lost control of his car and collided with a Chevrolet Astrovan near the intersection of Auto Center Drive and Paseo Mercado. At this point—the location of the fourth crash—Mendez’s vehicle was rendered inoperable and he was taken into custody without further incident.
 
Two passengers in the Atrovan sustained minor injuries and did not require ambulance transport or treatment. Mendez was transported to a local hospital for a medical clearance prior to being booked into the Ventura County Jail on the following charges:
 
 

  1. Felony drunk driving
  2. Three counts of misdemeanor hit and run
  3. Felony evading of a police officer with willful disregard for the safety of others

 
Mendez’s blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit. His bail stands at $50,000.
 
  DATE / TIME PREPARED:  10-30-2011 at 9:45 p.m.
 


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police		 Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

Drunk Drivers Can’t Hide Behind Halloween Costumes
Drivers Beware:  Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
 
(Oxnard, CA) As party-going ghosts and goblins celebrate Halloween this October, the Avoid the 14 Ventura County DUI Task Force reminds everyone to keep the party off the road.  In Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Thousand Oaks, and Moorpark, extra DUI saturation patrols will take place with extra officers looking to stop and arrest ‘drunk’ or ‘buzzed’ drivers.  Additionally, every patrol officer and traffic officer on routine patrol countywide will be on alert for the tell-tale signs of impairment.
 
“There isn’t a Halloween costume clever enough to hide an impaired driver who has made the poor decision to get behind the wheel,” said Randy Latimer, Traffic Sergeant for the Oxnard Police Department. “Whether you’ve had one too many or way too many it is just not worth the risk. Remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.”
 
Nighttime is an especially dangerous time to be on the road. But this weekend and Halloween night is one of the deadliest times of the year for impaired drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 48 percent of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night (6 p.m. Oct. 31 to 5:59 a.m. Nov. 1) in 2009 involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher.
 
“Far too many people spend hours and hours preparing their Halloween costumes and party plans,” said Sergeant Latimer. “But too often impaired drivers never plan ahead for their designated driver and end up making the roads scarier than a horror show.”
 
DUI checkpoints along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement serves as a proven deterrent with the goal of removing impaired drivers and creating heightened awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
 
The Avoid the 14 DUI Task Force recommends these simple tips for a safe Halloween celebration:    
 

  • Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin
  • Before drinking, designate a sober, non-drinking driver
  • If you’re impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation
  • If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to report drunk drivers, call 911
  • And remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk.  If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely

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


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police		 Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

INCIDENT:  Prescription Drug Take Back Day    
DATE/TIME:  Saturday, October 29  9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
LOCATION:  Oxnard PD – 251 South C Street
VICTIM(S):  
SUSPECT(S):  
WITNESS(ES):  
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):  
LOSS:  
PREPARED BY:  Commander Andrew Salinas
CONTACT PERSON &
CONTACT INFO:		  

DETAILS:
Oxnard, California – On October 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Oxnard Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your medications for disposal to the Oxnard Police Department located at 251 South C Street.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
 
Last April, Americans turned in 376,593 pounds – 188 tons – of prescription drugs at nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners.  The Oxnard Police Department collected over 1000 pounds during this collection. 
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – both pose potential safety and health hazards.
Four days after the first Take-Back event in September 2010, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them.  The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances.  DEA has begun drafting regulations to implement the Act, a process that can take as long as 24 months.  Until new regulations are in place, local law enforcement agencies like the Oxnard Police Department and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months. 
 


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police		 Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

NEWS RELEASE
 
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                    CONTACT:  Mónica Muñoz
October 25, 2011                                                                                           monica.munoz@oxnardpd.org
                                                                                                                        (805) 385-7631
 

(Oxnard, CA) UPDATE 1:04 p.m.Victoria Avenue is still closed to traffic between Wooley Road and Channel Islands Boulevard. We will open the traffic lanes as soon as possible but we do not have an estimated time at this point.
 
The only additional information we are releasing at this time is that there were five Ventura County deputies involved in the shooting and four Oxnard Police officers involved. Because of the ongoing investigation we are not releasing any additional details on the incident.
 
UPDATE 9:20 a.m. – Victoria Avenue will remain closed between Wooley Road and Channel Islands Boulevard because of the pursuit and officer-involved shooting. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes until further notice.
  
The female who was the original victim of domestic violence (the incident that started this chain of events) was not seriously injured. She was not transported to a hospital.
Last night just after the final shooting incident happened, there were two women who were handcuffed and removed from the crime scene on Victoria Ave. The two women are family members of the suspect who were interfering with the officers and for that reason were handcuffed and taken away from the crime scene. They were not arrested.
 
The suspect has been transferred to a hospital in the Santa Barbara area. We do not have information on his condition and his name will not be released at this point. The suspect could face the following charges: 273.5 PC (domestic violence); felony failure to yield; and attempted homicide.
 
[Original news release] At about 8 p.m. on October 24, 2011 Oxnard PD received a call regarding a domestic violence incident taking place in the 200 block of Roderick Avenue. Oxnard officers arrived on scene, but the suspect fled prior to their arrival.  A firearm had been mentioned, and officers believed the suspect was armed.  Officers were able to determine that a crime had occurred.
 
At about 9 p.m., Ventura County Sheriff’s (VCSO) deputies were involved in a pursuit with the suspect in his vehicle on Highway 33.  It was reported that the suspect had fired at the deputies as he drove. The suspect then traveled onto Highway 101 and headed south. When he reached Seaward and Highway 101, the suspect fired at the deputies, who returned fire. The suspect got back onto Highway 101 and exited in Oxnard at Vineyard Avenue. He returned to the Roderick Avenue residence and fired shots at that location. No one was injured from this action.
 
The suspect eventually made his way (with Oxnard PD and VCSO deputies in pursuit) to the Marina Village area in Port Hueneme. The suspect continued north on Victoria Avenue where he again exchanged gunfire; this time with VCSO deputies and Oxnard PD officers. The suspect was struck by gunfire, and was transported to a local hospital.
 
The name of the suspect and his condition is not being released at this time. The name of the victim will not be released as she is a domestic violence victim and her identity is protected by law.
 
Neither Oxnard officers nor VCSO deputies sustained injuries. Two people who were not involved in the incident received minor injuries from flying glass. One of those individuals was taken to the hospital for treatment.
 
Oxnard PD is the lead agency on this incident. VCSO deputies, detectives and officers from Port Hueneme Police are assisting.
 
At the time of this release, Victoria Avenue is closed from Wooley Road to Channel Islands Boulevard.  It is anticipated that it will remain closed until further notice.
 
 

###
 


Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

(Oxnard, CA) At about 8 p.m. on October 24, 2011 Oxnard PD received a call regarding a domestic violence incident taking place in the 200 block of Roderick Avenue. Oxnard officers arrived on scene, but the suspect fled prior to their arrival.  A firearm had been mentioned, and officers believed the suspect was armed.  Officers were able to determine that a crime had occurred.
 
At about 9 p.m., Ventura County Sheriff’s (VCSO) deputies were involved in a pursuit with the suspect in his vehicle on Highway 33.  It was reported that the suspect had fired at the deputies as he drove. The suspect then traveled onto Highway 101 and headed south. When he reached Seaward and Highway 101, the suspect fired at the deputies, who returned fire. The suspect got back onto Highway 101 and exited in Oxnard at Vineyard Avenue. He returned to the Roderick Avenue residence and fired shots at that location. No one was injured from this action.
 
The suspect eventually made his way (with Oxnard PD and VCSO deputies in pursuit) to the Marina Village area in Port Hueneme. The suspect continued north on Victoria Avenue where he again exchanged gunfire; this time with VCSO deputies and Oxnard PD officers. The suspect was struck by gunfire, and was transported to a local hospital.
 
The name of the suspect and his condition is not being released at this time. The name of the victim will not be released as she is a domestic violence victim and her identity is protected by law.
 
Neither Oxnard officers nor VCSO deputies sustained injuries. Two people who were not involved in the incident received minor injuries from flying glass. One of those individuals was taken to the hospital for treatment.
 
Oxnard PD is the lead agency on this incident. VCSO deputies, detectives and officers from Port Hueneme Police are assisting.
 
At the time of this release, Victoria Avenue is closed from Wooley Road to Channel Islands Boulevard.  It is anticipated that it will remain closed until further notice.
 
 

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Posted at 2:50 a.m.