Man pleads not guilty to assault of 76-year-old woman in Moorpark

Jeremy Childs
Ventura County Star

A 49-year-old man pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from an arrest early Tuesday morning after he was accused of assaulting an elderly woman in her Moorpark home, authorities said Wednesday.

Law enforcement was contacted around 6:02 a.m. Tuesday from a residence in the 300 block of Charles Street in the city of Moorpark.

Neighbors heard the 76-year-old victim screaming in her apartment and then saw a naked man run through the courtyard of the apartment complex.

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Authorities arrived on scene and made contact with the man, later identified as Edward Ayans, 49, of Thousand Oaks. Deputies said Ayans was in an agitated state and was suspected of being under the influence of methamphetamine.

Through an investigation, authorities learned Ayans assaulted and severely beat the victim, who he knew prior to the incident. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment where she is listed to be in critical but stable condition.

On Thursday, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office charged Ayans with felony mayhem, felony assault with a deadly weapon and felony elder abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

Ayans remains in custody at county jail with bail set at $570,000, according to the District Attorney's Office. He is due to appear in court for a bail hearing at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in room 13 of Ventura County Superior Court.

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. You can also find him on Twitter @Jeremy_Childs.