SPPD: Three juveniles arrested
after assault victim follows them
August 26, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Three juveniles were arrested as suspects in a early Sunday morning incident that included battery, vandalism and firing on the victim with a BB Gun type pistol…and after the victim followed them and told police were they could be found.
No one was injured in the attack according to Santa Paula Police Sgt. Jeremy Watson.
At about 12:42 a.m. August 23 Watson said the SPPD received a report of “shots fired” in the Taco Bell parking lot, 535 W. Harvard Blvd.
“As Officers responded to the area, Dispatch received updated information from the victim, that he was following the suspect vehicle,” that was traveling eastbound on Harvard Boulevard.
Watson said Dispatch remained on the phone with the victim who directed officers to its location in the 400 block of East Harvard Boulevard.
Because of the nature of the incident Officers conducted a “high risk” stop on the vehicle, a white Chevrolet Tahoe and the four occupants were detained without incident.
Police determined one occupant, a 34-year-old female of Santa Paula, was not involved in the incident.
The victim positively identified three juvenile males, 14, 15 and 16 years old, all of Santa Paula, as the suspects.
Watson said further investigation revealed that the three teenagers were walking in the area of Taco Bell and confronted the adult male victim for “unknown reasons.”
The juveniles began assaulting the victim who eventually retreated to his vehicle.
“Once in the vehicle,” said Watson, “one of the juveniles produced a handgun and began hitting the victim’s vehicle with the butt of the handgun. As the victim drove away, the juvenile with the handgun began firing at the victim’s vehicle, striking it two times.”
Officers recovered a weapon which turned out to be a black BB Gun type pistol that Watson said resembled a Colt 1911 semi-automatic pistol from the suspects’ Tahoe.
All three juveniles were arrested and charged with suspicion of battery, vandalism, and conspiracy to commit a crime. The 15-year-old suspect was also charged ith brandishing an imitation firearm. All three were booked at the SPPD Station and later transported to Ventura County Juvenile Hall on Vineyard Avenue in Oxnard.
Because of their juvenile status the identifications of the suspects cannot be released.
But, said SPPD Commander Ish Cordero, “At this point” in the investigation it is suspected the juveniles have gang affiliations.
