Archives for April 2013

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Stabbing
DATE/TIME:	April 6, 2013/ 4:00 PM
LOCATION:	1300 Block North C Street
VICTIM(S):	31 year old Oxnard resident
PREPARED BY:	Detective John Sunia
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Detective Jaime Miranda (805) 385-7665 Jaime.Miranda@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:
(OXNARD, Calif) – On April 6, 2013 Oxnard Police Officers were dispatched to the 1300 block of North C Street reference a stabbing victim. When Officers arrived, they located a 31 yr old male with a stab wound to his back. The victim was transported to VCMC where he was undergoing surgery.

If you have any additional information regarding this stabbing, please contact Detective Jaime Miranda at (805) 385-7665 or email him at Jaime.Miranda@oxnardpd.org.

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 http://www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org/contactus.aspxto submit a tip via text or email.

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Graffiti vandalism arrest
DATE/TIME:	4/25/2013, 1745 hours
LOCATION:	Multiple locations throughout Oxnard
VICTIM(S):	City of Oxnard
SUSPECT(S):	Josue Puga, 20 year old Oxnard Resident



PREPARED BY:	Senior Officer John Brisslinger, Graffiti Detective, Violent Crimes Unit
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Senior Officer John Brisslinger, 805-486-6297, john.brisslinger@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:

On April 25, 2013 Josue Puga was arrested for 1,705 counts of graffiti vandalism, 25 of the counts resulted in damage in excess of $400 and were charged as felonies. The total amount of damage caused by Puga is approximately $300,000.

Investigators gathered information during a several month long investigation that led to the identification and arrest of Puga for the graffiti vandalism.

Each year the City of Oxnard spends hundreds of thousands of dollars cleaning up graffiti vandalism on both private and public property throughout the city. The City of Oxnard takes the crime of graffiti vandalism seriously and will continue to investigate the crimes, and arrest the offenders.

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Search warrants served at homes of alleged Lemonwood gang members
DATE/TIME:	April 4, 2013 at 10:30 a.m.
LOCATION:	Various residences in the Lemonwood neighborhood
PREPARED BY:	Sergeant Christopher Williams, Major Crimes Supervisor, (805) 385-7763, christopher.williams@oxnardpd.org
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Det. Roger Garcia (805) 385-7688, Major Crimes Detective, roger.garcia@oxnardpd.org

(OXNARD, Calif) – On April 2, 2013 and April 4, 2013, members of the Oxnard Police Department’s SWAT Team, Violent Crimes Unit (VCU), and homicide investigators served a multi-location search warrant at three residences in the Lemonwood neighborhood in relation to the 2012 homicide of 19 year old Jose Gonzales.

A firearm, ammunition, and gang paraphernalia were seized during the warrants. No arrests have been made in relation to the murder of Gonzales but the investigation is progressing. The investigation into the murder of Gonzales is ongoing and members of the public are asked to contact Detective Roger Garcia at (805) 385-7688 or 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 http://www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org/contactus.aspxto submit a tip via text or email.

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Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

EVENT:	Oxnard Police Department Collecting Unwanted Prescription Drugs, this Saturday
DATE/TIME:	April 27, 2013 9:00am-2:00pm
LOCATION:	Oxnard Police Department 251 S. C Street Oxnard, CA 93030
VICTIM(S):	N/A
SUSPECT(S):	N/A
WITNESS(ES):	N/A
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):	N/A
LOSS:	N/A
PREPARED BY:	Miguel Lopez, Community Affairs Manager, (805) 385-7631, miguel.lopez@oxnardpd.org
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Sgt. Humberto Jimenez, (805) 385-7600, Humberto.Jimenez@oxnardpd.org and, Nicole Crisostomo, (805)385-7780, Nicole.Crisostomo@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS: (OXNARD, Calif)– On April 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Oxnard Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its sixth opportunity in three years 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 at 251 South C Street, Oxnard, CA 93030. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last September, Americans turned in 244 tons of prescription drugs at over 5,200 sites operated by the DEA and its thousands of state and local law enforcement partners. In its five previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in over 2 million pounds—over a thousand tons—of pills.

In Oxnard, the Police Department has participated since the program’s inception, and has collected over 3,000 pounds of pills in the last two years.

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 event, 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 is drafting regulations to implement the Act. 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.

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DATE / TIME PREPARED: April 24, 2013, 3:00 PM

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:
DATE/TIME:	April 11, 2013 at 12:00 p.m.
LOCATION:	Topa Tower Club – 300 Esplanade Dr., 22^nd Floor
VICTIM(S):
SUSPECT(S):
WITNESS(ES):
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):
LOSS:
PREPARED BY:	Scott Hebert, Commander Oxnard Police Department
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Sandra Jacinto at (805) 385-7624 or email her at sandra.jacinto@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:
The Kiwanis Club of Oxnard is pleased to once again host the Oxnard Police Department Employee Recognition Awards Luncheon at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, 2013. The public is invited but reservations for the event are required. Tickets are $35 per person and can be paid for at the door. Space is limited!
To reserve your seat, please call Sandra Jacinto at (805) 385-7624 or email her at sandra.jacinto@oxnardpd.org.
During this ceremony, Oxnard’s 45^thPolice Officer of the Year will be announced. The nominees are:

Officer Miguel Angel Serrato
Officer Hannah Estrada
Officer Carey Everhart
Officer Ryan Carey

The criteria for Oxnard Police Officer of the Year are:

Rank of Police Officer II or Senior Police Officer.
Performance of duties in an exemplary fashion.
Strong academic credentials or evidence of an earnest effort to obtain a higher degree.
Activity beyond the normal scope of duty; voluntarily engaging in the community affairs of Oxnard is a significant way.

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION AWARDS
In addition to naming Oxnard’s Police Officer of the Year for 2012, Oxnard police Chief Jeri Williams will present the following awards to police department employees for exemplary service:

2012 Civilian Employee of the Year
2012 Supervisor of the Year
2012 Dispatcher of the Year
2012 Chief’s Award of Excellence
2012 Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) Award
10851 Award (in recognition of stolen vehicle recovery efforts in 2012, presented by the California Highway Patrol)
Medal of Merit

PRESS NOTE: The Kiwanis Club will host one representative from each media outlet for lunch during the awards ceremony. Please contact Scott Hebert to RSVP.

Questions regarding the awards luncheon should be directed to Commander Scott Hebert at Scott.Hebert@OxnardPD.orgor (805) 385-7619.

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint
DATE/TIME:	Friday, April 12th, 2013 9:00 P.M. to 3:00 A.M.
LOCATION:	City of Oxnard
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator (805) 385-7749

DETAILS:

On April 12^th, 2013, between the hours of 9:00 P.M. and 3:00 A.M., officers from the Oxnard Police Department conducted two DUI/Driver’s license checkpoints.

The first checkpoint was conducted in the southbound lanes of Victoria Ave just south of Wooley Rd and the second checkpoint was conducted in the southbound and northbound lanes of “C “ Street just south of Hill Street.

Officers screened 623 motorists who passed through the checkpoints and conducted five DUI investigations on drivers who had been drinking alcohol. Of those investigations, one driver was arrested for DUI alcohol.

Citations were issued to 11 drivers for various Vehicle Code violations. 12 drivers were issued citations for driving without a valid driver’s license, three drivers were cited for driving with a suspended driver’s license, and eight vehicles were towed from the checkpoints.

The Oxnard Police Department will continue to conduct DUI enforcement operations this year. These DUI operations are 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. These DUI enforcement operations are funded by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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

DATE / TIME PREPARED: 04/13/13, 0340 hours

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Every 15 Minutes Program
DATE/TIME:	Wednesday, May 1, 2013, 11:30 am-12:20 pm Thursday, May 2, 2013, 11:25 am-12:20 pm
LOCATION:	Oxnard High School, 3400 W. Gonzales Rd., Oxnard
PREPARED BY:	Officer Ramiro Albarran, Youth Service Unit
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Sergeant Ken Klopman, Youth Service Unit (805) 432-9916, ken.klopman@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS: (OXNARD, Calif) – On Wednesday May 1, 2013, officers from the Oxnard Police Department will be coordinating the Every 15 Minutes (E15M) Program at Oxnard High School (OHS). Unique in its design and powerful in its impact, the Every 15 Minutes Program is an educational experience that reminds us all of the dangers associated with driving while impaired by alcohol and/or other drugs.

Every 15 minutes in the U.S., someone is killed in a crash involving an impaired driver. The E15M program includes student participants being removed from their class every 15 minutes throughout the morning by the Grim Reaper. Their obituary is read to the class and the student participants later return to class as the “living dead”, complete with white face make-up. From that point on (since the victims are “dead”), they will not speak or otherwise interact with others for the remainder of the day except to be present in their regular classes. Starting at about 11:25 a.m., the student body (all Juniors & Seniors) will assemble in the football stadium to witness a mock head-on crash scene and simulated rescue that will include a full emergency response by Oxnard Police, Oxnard Fire, Gold Coast EMS, Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office, and McCarty & Sons Towing. At the end of the school day, instead of returning home, student participants made into the “living dead” or those who were “killed” in the crash, together with several adult chaperones, will be transported to a local hotel for an overnight student retreat, facilitated by a support staff of counselors and police officers. The participants will continue to be out of contact with their family and friends overnight to simulate their separation/death.

The E15M program will continue on May 2, 2013 with a mock “funeral” assembly in the Oxnard High School gym starting at 11:30 a.m. where participants and their parents will share personal and often very emotional letters they wrote to one another the previous evening that begin with “Dear Mom & Dad, Every 15 minutes in the United States, someone is killed in a crash involving an impaired driver. Today I died. I never had a chance to tell you…” This is arguably the most powerful, impactful, and emotional part of the 2- day program. While the crash was staged, the emotions of the funeral assembly are very real!

This powerful program, funded by community donations and sponsored by the Oxnard Police Foundation, will challenge teenagers and others to think about the responsibility of making mature decisions when lives are involved.

This year Oxnard High School participants are:

Amelia Veronica
Benito Moran
Andrea Resendiz
Meagan Contreras
Ashley Klug
Jelani Legohn
Devin Babuata
Jesse Godinez
Roy Cervantes
Sergio Esquivel
Adam Espinosa
Rukiah Cotton
Ashley Molina
Marissa Felix
Kelly Albers
Andres Cardona
Officer Greg Harasymowycz (as the Grim Reaper)

DATE / TIME PREPARED: 4/11/13, 14:15 hours

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	DUI/Drivers License checkpoint Planned this Weekend
DATE/TIME:	Friday, April 26, 2013 9:00 P.M. to 3:00 A.M.
LOCATION:	City of Oxnard
PREPARED BY:	Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator (805) 385-7749

DETAILS:
Oxnard, CA – Oxnard Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on Friday, April 26th at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

The deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.

Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. Officers will also check drivers for proper licensing and will strive to delay motorists only momentarily. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving. Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension, and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, other expenses that can exceed $10,000.

In 2010, over 10,000 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or higher. In California, this deadly crime led to 791 deaths because someone failed to designate a sober driver. “Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed 6 lives and resulted in 616 injury crashes harming 372 of our friends and neighbors,” said Senior Officer Jamie Brown.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent. Based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence. Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.

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 continue to work together to bring an end to these tragedies. If you see a Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.

MEDIA NOTES: To schedule an interview regarding the Oxnard Traffic Safety Operations, please contact Jamie Brown at 805-385-7749 or at Jamie.brown@oxnardpd.org

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Attempt Suicide
DATE/TIME:	April 26, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.
LOCATION:	700 Blk. of Forest Park Blvd., Oxnard
VICTIM(S):	Glenn Massaro, 57 years old, Oxnard Resident
SUSPECT(S):
WITNESS(ES):
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):
LOSS:
PREPARED BY:	Commander Mike Adair
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Commander Mike Adair mike.adair@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:

On April 26^th, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. a person called the Oxnard Police Department’s communication center and reported that a male subject had shot himself in the 700 block of Forest Park Blvd., Oxnard. The caller was not local. Officers responded to the area and attempted to make contact with the subject in his residence at the location.

After several minutes officers were able to speak with Glenn Massaro on the phone. He stated he had shot himself in the face in an apparent suicide attempt. He also told the officers he had discarded his weapon and requested medical treatment. Officers made contact with Massaro and ensured the scene was safe for EMS personnel to respond. No one else was located in the residence with Massaro. He received emergency medical treatment at the scene and was transported to VCMC for a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

The scene was cleared at 5:45 p.m.