A report on the Starbuck’s crash which took the life of former Marine Sergio Mendez is completed and is at the District Attorney's Office for review, stated Sheriffs Capt. Monica McGrath on Monday, April 9th. No public release date has been obtained.

Mendez’ aunt, Belen Burgos, who spoke with the FillmoreGazette publisher said the Department of Motor Vehicles has reported the crash as involving an injury but makes no mention of the fatality. She questioned why the fatality was not noted and if it would have affected Cedarland’s driver’s license status.

Information has also surfaced about the possible medical history of Michael Cedarland, whose car crashed into Starbucks on December 13, 2011, killing Mendez.

Following are excepts from CONTINUED »

A Proclamation was awarded to the Sierra Club recognizing April 22, 2012 as Earth Day and was accepted by Patti Walker.
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Community Development Director Kevin McSweeney presented the Council with an interpretation of the zoning ordinance regarding chickens.
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Dr. Scott Barlow, who moved to Fillmore in December 2010 and has seven chickens, addressed the Council asking that they take into consideration those raising chickens in a responsible way and do not impact their neighbors.
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The two main topics brought before the Fillmore City Council this week were the proposed Volunteer Coordinator position and the zoning ordinance regarding chickens. There was also a proclamation presented to the Sierra Club and information on the VC Alert program.

The City Council is looking for someone to work in a non-paid position as a Volunteer Coordinator. The position requires recruiting and assigning volunteers to clean the bike path, litter control, graffiti removal and event clean-up along with other tasks the City can no longer afford to maintain. City Manager Yvonne Quiring presented the Council with a list of qualifications and definition of the skills required. The list was three pages long and very extensive. The Council recognized this and agreed that the requirements should be adjusted to meet a non-paid position. Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation is willing to set up the program and have the person who organized the Martin Luther King clean-up day at Two Rivers Park assist with the recruitment of a Volunteer Coordinator.

Mayor Gayle Washburn said she would prefer someone who could apply for grants, which takes some skill in doing. Councilmember Jamey Brooks cautioned the other Councilmembers that they may be expecting too much out of one person, especially for a non-paid position and that they might find someone who is a great coordinator but lacks the skill of grant writing. He suggested the two requirements not be put together and maybe a grant writer could volunteer their services separately.

Councilman Eduardo Gonzalez asked CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

At approximately 11:00am on Wednesday April 11, 2012, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services received a report that numerous Ventura County Residents had received a telephone notification advising there was a need to evacuate the area due to the threat of a tsunami.

Ventura County is not under a tsunami watch, advisory or warning. The alert that was placed to area residents is inaccurate and appears to have originated from an outside source. The incident is currently under investigation.

Nature of Incident: No threat of Tsunami to Ventura County
Report Number: N/A
Location: Sheriff’s Administration 800 S. Victoria Ave. Ventura, Ca.
Date & Time: April 11, 2012 11:45 a.m.
Unit Responsible: Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services
Administrator Preparing Media Release:
Cynthia Elliott (805) 947-8054
Media Release Date:
Apr. 11, 2012
Follow-Up Contact:
Patrick Maynard (805) 947-8068
Approved by:
Capt. Don Aguilar

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On 9-27-2010, at about 8:55 p.m. Ventura County Sheriff’s patrol deputies responded to a reported carjacking at Alelia Ave. and Azahar St. in the unincorporated area of Saticoy. When they arrived, they spoke with the victim, a male pizza delivery driver. The driver stated he was delivering a pizza to an address in the 1200 block of Alelia Ave. As he was taking the pizza out of the trunk of his car, he was assaulted by three unknown male Hispanics. The suspects fled in the victim’s car before sheriff’s deputies arrived. The victim’s car was later found crashed and abandoned about a mile away. Investigators collected evidence from the scene and submitted it to Ventura County Sheriff’s Regional Crime Lab.

On 9-30-2010, the investigation led to the identification of a 13 year old male gang member as a suspect in the crime. He was arrested for carjacking and street terrorism and lodged into juvenile hall. Over the next two days, gang investigators served five search warrants and arrested three additional suspects. They included 20 year old Sergio Alvarez, 19 year old Jose Puga, and 19 year old Isaac Burciaga. At the time, investigators did not have enough evidence to file charges with the District Attorney against Burciaga and he was released.

Over the next year and a half, Alvarez, Puga and the 13 year old male were convicted of robbery for the events of 09/27/2010. Puga was sentenced to two years in state prison, Alvarez was sentenced to three years, and the juvenile was committed to juvenile hall.

In March 2012, gang investigators were notified that Isaac Burciaga’s DNA was found on evidence collected from the victim’s abandoned vehicle. Based on the new information, investigators had enough evidence to charge Burciaga with carjacking. On 3-29-2012, investigators located Burciaga as he left a residence in Fillmore. He was arrested and booked for carjacking.

On 4-2-2012, the District Attorney’s Office filed multiple charges against Burciaga that include carjacking and robbery. He remains in custody at the Sheriff’s Pre-Trial Detention Facility in lieu of $155,000 bail.

Report Number:10-23648
Locations: Alelia Ave. & Azahar St., Saticoy
Date & Time: 9-27-2010 through 4-2-2012
Unit Responsible: Sheriff’s Gang Unit
(S)uspects, City of Residence Age
(S1) Burciaga, Isaac Saticoy, CA 19
Deputy Preparing Media Release: Sergeant Bill Schierman
Media Release Date: 4-5-2012
Follow-Up Contact: Sergeant Bill Schierman (805) 654-2856
Approved by: Captain Patti Salas, WCPS, Headquarters

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

A 43-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man suffered serious stab wounds during a possible domestic dispute inside their Fillmore residence Friday at 3pm, 1100 block Los Serenos Drive.

Maria de Los Angeles Rangel was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple stab wounds, and the man, identified as her husband Tomas Perez, was transported to Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, where he underwent surgery for stab wounds. The couple was found by one of their daughters, who came to the residence and discovered them both in a bedroom. She called 9-1-1.

Authorities said Friday that the incident appeared to be domestic violence and that there were no outstanding suspects.

Investigators remained on scene for several hours.

Donation car wash this Saturday 8am, April 7, @ Jiffy Lube in Fillmore, all proceeds go to the children of Maria de Los Angeles Rangel, Art Tellez 24 Brianna Tellez 19, Vanessa Perez 15, Cynthia Perez 13, and Tommy Perez 8.

All inclusive enchilada dinner, desert, and 12oz drink @ La Fondita, will be held Friday April 13 from 5-8 pm.

For tickets, questions, or detailed information regarding fundraisers contact Art or Alle at 805-914-9873.

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Tuesday night’s Fillmore Unified School Board Meeting (FUSD) focused on Transitional Kindergarten, the English Language Learners (ELL) Pacing Guide Task Force and changes to Advanced Placement class requirements.

This fall FUSD is implementing a two year program called Transitional Kindergarten (TK) for children whose 5th birthday falls between September 2nd and December 2nd.. What this means is students who attend a TK class will have a year of preparation before attending kindergarten in the 2013-2014 school year. Those students’ whose birthdays qualify them for TK, along with those who have not had any preschool, will be scheduled for a basic school readiness screening and the results will be discussed with the parents.

Not all FUSD elementary schools will be providing TK. For those children whose home school does not provide TK an exception is made allowing them to enroll in a school that will offer TK; transportation will not be provided and once they start kindergarten they must enroll in their home school.

A lottery will CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On March 26, Chief Randy Pentis officially began his first day on the job for the City of Thousand Oaks. Pentis succeeded Jeff Matson as Chief of the Thousand Oaks Police Department.

Pentis grew up in Newbury Park and attended Conejo Valley schools. He’s spent most of his 30-year career in the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department serving the citizens of Thousand Oaks in patrol, investigations, and special enforcement.

“I’m very happy to be home,” said Pentis. As Pentis reflects on his past, he also looks to the future, “Going from Patrol in Newbury Park during the mid-1980’s, to becoming police chief, is a very humbling experience.

I’m honored for this opportunity and excited to get to work.” Pentis will focus the department on maintaining Thousand Oaks’ historically low crime rate and its standing as one of the safest cities in America.

He also intends to partner with Conejo Valley Unified School District on a variety of initiatives.