Ventura police utilize K-9 unit to detain reportedly armed subject

Ventura police spent hours attempting to arrest a reportedly armed suspect hiding under a freeway overpass on Tuesday afternoon.

Police were first contacted around 3 p.m. along Garden Street near the Highway 101 overpass.

Officers were told of a man reportedly brandishing a handgun in the area. Police arrived and found the suspect, later identified as Jeffrey Wheelock, 37, inside a crawl space under the overpass.

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Authorities said they ordered Wheelock to come out, but he refused to comply. Due to the reports that Wheelock was possibly armed, police deployed a K-9 unit, authorities said. Wheelock hit the K-9 unit in the head and managed to not leave the crawl space.

Crisis negotiators arrived and tried to negotiate with Wheelock for half an hour, but Wheelock continued to refuse to comply, according to police. Eventually, officers deployed a fire hose to attempt to flush Wheelock out of the crawl space, but it proved ineffective, according to authorities.

Finally, a K-9 unit was deployed a second time in tandem with officers and Wheelock was taken into custody, police said. A search of his person uncovered two replica firearms, according to authorities.

Wheelock was taken to a hospital to be treated for a dog bite suffered during the altercation. He was later arrested on suspicion of trespassing, resisting arrest, brandishing a replica firearm and battering a police dog, according to authorities. The K-9 unit did not suffer any injuries as a result of the incident, police said.

Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and public safety reporter covering the night shift for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached by calling 805-437-0208 or emailing jeremy.childs@vcstar.com.

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