Roundup: 2 enter pleas in Oxnard murder case, stolen work truck taken for a spin, more
Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:
2 plead not guilty in Oxnard murder case
Two men charged with murder in the December shooting of an Oxnard man pleaded not guilty during continued arraignments Friday afternoon.
Michael Anthony Ortega, 23, of Oxnard, faces one murder count and multiple felony firearms violations in connection with the shooting on Dec. 5 and several other incidents in early December. Prosecutors allege he shot the victim with a sawed-off shotgun.
The second defendant, 32-year-old Santa Paula resident Paul Steven Ramos, is accused of driving Ortega to the Porta Rossa Apartments at 1201 W. Gonzales Road in Oxnard where the victim was killed. Ramos faces a single murder count.
Authorities have said Ortega and Ramos are gang members.
The victim, John Carrillo, 20, was not in a gang, according to Oxnard Police Department officials.
Ortega and Ramos entered the pleas and denied all special allegations during continued arraignments before Ventura County Superior Court Judge Nancy Ayers, court records show. Both are being held without bail and are scheduled in court for an early disposition conference on May 24.
Stolen tree-trimming truck gets wild ride
Police in Ventura arrested a man who allegedly stole a work truck and crashed it through a fence Friday night.
A resident had called 911 around 8:40 p.m. after reportedly seeing a man jump over a chain-link fence surrounding several work trucks in an open field at the northeast corner of the Ventura Aquatic Center on Kimball Road.
The resident told dispatchers someone had started up a large tree-trimming truck and driven it through the fence. The driver continued “erratically” across the grass before getting onto Telephone Road, according to the Ventura Police Department.
Two patrol officers were on an unrelated call on Halifax Street, east of Kimball, when they saw a tree-trimming truck drive west on Halifax from Petit Avenue. They recognized it as possibly stolen.
As the officers approached, they saw the driver, later identified as a 40-year-old man described as vagrant, turn onto Conway Avenue and pull to the curb before attempting to flee on foot, authorities said. The officers quickly detained the man. The resident who called 911 identified him as the person who stole the truck, officials said.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and felony vandalism for damage to the fence. He remained in county jail Saturday night in lieu of $30,000 bail.
Oxnard police, FBI agents seize drugs, cash
The Oxnard Police Department and the FBI conducted a joint investigation into possible narcotics sales by a 20-year-old Oxnard man in March, authorities said, and arrested him Thursday after a warrant search.
Thursday's search of the suspect's residence in the 100 block of North Garfield Street allegedly turned up a large quantity of suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl and M30 fentanyl pills, authorities said. Detectives also found a 9 mm Glock-style Polymer 80 semiautomatic handgun with no serial number and a large amount of cash.
The suspect was arrested by police on suspicion of felony firearms and drug-related offenses. No federal charges were filed, FBI officials said, adding the investigation is ongoing. The suspect remained in county jail Saturday night in lieu of $250,000 bail, jail records showed.
Suspect allegedly assaulted Simi officer
A police officer sustained minor injuries while arresting a suspect Friday evening, the Simi Valley Police Department reported.
Officers had seen the man, a 41-year-old Moorpark resident, jump over the wall to a secured parking lot for Ventura County Fire Station 41 at 1910 Church St. at around 5:30 p.m. The man then crossed the street to the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center and allegedly started assaulting citizens there, according to police.
As officers tried to detain the suspect, he allegedly assaulted them. One officer was treated at a hospital for a minor injury. The suspect suffered minor cuts and abrasions. He was arrested on suspicion of felony resisting and battery on an officer and remained in county jail Saturday night with bail set at $25,000, jail records showed.
— Items may be updated.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: 2 enter pleas in Oxnard murder case, more Ventura County news
