Roundup: Ventura officers battered, Santa Paula police debunk assault claim, more
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the alleged battery on Ventura police officers during an arrest.
Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:
Ventura officers injured during arrest
VENTURA – Two police officers were treated for moderate injuries after a violent scuffle with a suspect near the beachside Ventura Promenade Saturday morning, authorities said.
The incident unfolded around 9:30 a.m. near Paseo de Playa, the Ventura Police Department reported. An officer was patrolling the area based on community complaints about criminal activity and quality-of-life issues, the agency said in a release.
When the officer contacted someone blocking an access gate to a private apartment complex, an uninvolved man allegedly approached the officer and started to interfere with the investigation, according to the police account. The man, 53, was described as a Nevada resident.
The officer told the uninvolved man several times to back away or he would be arrested for interfering, authorities said. The man allegedly kept interfering, yelling at the officer and physically aggressing toward him, according to police.
The officer tried to arrest the man. Authorities say he violently resisted, hitting the officer in the face with a closed fist and kicking him.
Within seconds, another officer arrived. The second officer was hit on the head by the suspect, officials said. The two officers wrestled the man to the ground, where he reportedly continued to fight.
More officers arrived. After what police described as a "lengthy struggle," the suspect was taken into custody. Police officials said the suspect was treated for minor injuries.
Cmdr. Sam Arroyo said Saturday night that aside from the forceful takedown, no additional use of force, such as a Taser-style stun gun, was deployed. Three officers, including the first two at the scene, were primarily involved in the physical struggle to take the man into custody, he said.
The man was arrested on suspicion of three felony offenses: battery on a police officer, resisting an officer by violence and resisting causing injury. He had been booked into Ventura County jail by Saturday night, jail records showed.
The two male officers, who were treated at a hospital, will be off duty for a few days before returning to work, Arroyo said.
Bicyclist critically injured on Fifth Street
OXNARD – A bicyclist was critically injured in Oxnard Friday night when a driver swerved to avoid a big rig on Fifth Street, authorities said.
The incident was reported shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Fifth, east of Rose Avenue, according to the Oxnard Police Department. Fifth Street is a heavily traveled route lined by agricultural fields and industrial buildings east of the intersection.
A 19-year-old Camarillo man was driving a 2017 BMW sedan westbound on Fifth at the time.
A semitrailer headed eastbound on Fifth swerved into the westbound lanes, authorities said, and the BMW driver swerved into the bike lane to avoid a collision with the semi.
The sedan hit a bicyclist riding a BMX bike in the westbound bike lane. The rider, a man whose age and city of residence weren't available Saturday, was critically injured. He was taken by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center.
The BMW driver stayed on scene to provide aid to the bicyclist, authorities said. Police officials weren't able to locate the big rig.
Investigators don't believe alcohol was a factor. No other injuries were reported.
As of early Saturday afternoon, no update was available on the bike rider's condition.
Anyone with information is asked to call Senior Officer Jose Diaz at 805-385-7749.
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Officials find no evidence of alleged attack
SANTA PAULA – The Santa Paula Police Department investigated – and debunked – claims of a serious assault circulating on social media this week that caused some alarm in the community, officials said.
At least one of the posts alleged that a "tall, albino" man with gray hair seen driving a black car had sexually assaulted a woman, authorities said. A tweet posted Monday that had been retweeted 300 times as of Saturday described a "kind of albino" man in a black Chevrolet who had been "stalking women at stores" in Santa Paula. The post claimed the man had followed a woman, knocked her in the face with a board and raped her; it also said the attack had hospitalized the victim.
The police department's account, issued Friday, was meant to "provide some information to allay any fears raised by this post," Chief Travis Walker wrote.
On Oct. 16, police officers went to Santa Paula Hospital to meet with a 61-year-old woman who alleged she had been struck with a blunt object at her home the previous day.
Detectives called in to investigate did not find any evidence at the victim's home to substantiate the claims, according to police. They also spoke to several neighbors who hadn't seen or heard anything unusual.
When the victim was examined by a forensic medical professional that day, the preliminary result found her injuries "did not appear to be forensically consistent" with the timing and manner of injury she reported, the department said.
On Thursday, one of the victim's family members called police to say the victim said the man who attacked her was at her residence, officials said. Officers and detectives responded and couldn't find anyone matching the victim's description.
The victim then reportedly told detectives she didn't say the man was at her house, but that he had followed her around the city on Monday. She also told detectives the suspect had followed her into several businesses.
When detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the businesses, they "clearly saw" the victim on surveillance cameras, according to the police account.
"However, nobody remotely matching" the suspect's description was seen following the victim "at any time," authorities wrote.
"At this time, we do not have any credible public safety information regarding this claim to share with the community," Walker's statement concluded, adding: "We have not experienced any other similar calls within the city."
Authorities encouraged residents to report suspicious activities and crimes by calling 911 or the department's non-emergency line at 805-525-4474.
Cytlalli Salgado is a breaking news reporter for the Ventura County Star. She can be reached by calling 805-437-0257 or emailing cytlalli.salgado@vcstar.com.