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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, August 4th, 2023
 The Sierra Northern Railways has been responsible for displaying a mile-long stream of graffiti-strewn railcars in Fillmore's backyard. It's a serious eyesore and an attractive nuisance which affects property values. The Gazette proposes to have Sierra clean-off the graffiti and maintain clean surfaces. Enlarge Photo |
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
 On Friday, July 21, 2023, at 10:38pm, Fillmore Police responded to reports from a concerned resident seeing numerous subjects at Delores Day Park. Reports stated multiple subjects with vehicles chasing each other near the area. Also, a male subject was seen with what appeared to be a firearm. After a short pursuit police arrested all five suspects, three juveniles and two adults. Inset photo courtesy Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. Enlarge Photo On July 21, 2023, at approximately 10:38 PM, a concerned resident called the Sheriff’s Communication Center (SCC) to report suspicious activity at Delores Day Park located at 880 Goodenough Road in the city of Fillmore. The concerned resident reported seeing numerous subjects associated with three different vehicles chasing each other near the park. The concerned resident also reported seeing a male subject holding what appeared to be a firearm during the altercation. Deputies assigned to the Fillmore Station responded to the area. Upon arrival, a deputy identified one of the vehicles involved in the incident and attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on the vehicle. The driver, Emma Soderstedt, failed to stop and accelerated her speed for several blocks before stopping. Once stopped, Alberto Sanchez, a known gang member, exited the vehicle and ran while holding a firearm. Sanchez was apprehended and arrested after a brief foot pursuit. Deputies recovered the loaded and unregistered firearm in the driveway of a nearby residence. Deputies detained three additional male juveniles who were also occupants in the vehicle. All three juveniles were identified as known gang members. All three were subsequently arrested for disturbing the peace, conspiracy, and participation in a criminal street gang. All three were lodged at the Juvenile Justice Center. Soderstedt was arrested and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and evading arrest. She has since been released from custody on her promise to appear at a future court date. Sanchez was arrested and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility for participation in a criminal street gang, disturbing the peace, and unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, where he remains in custody in lieu of his bail set at $100,000. Report Number: RB # 23-93665 Prepared by: Detective Sergeant Will Hollowell |
 Ventura County Fire Department, AMR Paramedics, and California Highway Patrol were called to a reported head-on collision on westbound SR126 and Pyle Road in Fillmore on Monday, July 24, 2023, at 1:58 p.m. Firefighters on the scene discovered two pickup trucks with moderate to severe damage. One patient had moderate injuries, while two patients suffered possible major injuries. Firefighters blocked off both lanes of SR126 so that the helicopter could land and transport the patient. Two patients were taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance, while a third patient was flown to a local hospital. On-scene CHP officers shut down westbound SR126 traffic until the scene was cleared. Photo credit Angel Esquivel-AE News. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
A 60-year-old Ojai man was arrested on suspicion of a drug-related DUI after a head-on crash on Highway 126 west of Fillmore Monday that caused serious injuries to two Lancaster residents. The collision was reported shortly before 2 p.m. east of Pyle Road, between Fillmore and Santa Paula, California Highway Patrol officials said. The Ojai man had been driving a 2018 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck eastbound when he traveled into oncoming traffic, according to the CHP. The Ojai driver’s truck hit a 2006 Chevrolet pickup truck traveling westbound. The 43-year-old Lancaster man had been driving with a Lancaster woman, 49, in the passenger seat. The woman was trapped after the head-on collision and Ventura County firefighters had to extricate her from the truck. Both of the Lancaster residents were taken to Ventura County Medical Center with major injuries. On Tuesday, the two were said to be in stable condition, said CHP Officer Jorge Alfaro. The Ojai driver suffered minor injuries, authorities said. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI, with CHP officials saying drug-related impairment was believed to be a factor in the crash. A third vehicle, a Dodge ProMaster cargo van, had been traveling westbound and was hit by debris from the initial crash. The driver wasn’t injured and his passenger suffered minor injuries. Both are from Ventura. The incident fully closed the highway in both directions for about 30 minutes, Alfaro said. At least one lane in each direction was later opened, with traffic alternating at times, as the CHP’s on-scene investigation continued for a couple hours. The accident remains under investigation. Witnesses are asked to call the Ventura-area CHP office at 805-662-2640. |
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
VENTURA, Calif. – District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that charges were filed against Barry Fike (DOB 09/05/55), of Fillmore, for multiple felony counts of sending harmful matter to a child, felony communicating with a child with the intent to commit a sexual act, and arranging a meeting with a minor for a lewd purpose. Fike pled not guilty to all charges at today’s arraignment. The Ventura County Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force arrested Fike on July 17, 2023. Detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office East County Sexual Assault Unit assisted with the arrest. The Task Force began investigating Fike on July 10, 2023, when he allegedly started communicating online with what he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. The conversations were sexual in nature and Fike allegedly shared explicit photos of himself with the victim, who was actually an undercover officer. “There are many chatrooms online that are not moderated or do not take any steps to limit adult contact with minors,” said Supervising District Attorney Investigator Terrance Dobrosky. “All too often, this exposes children to potential exploitation as predators take advantage of the limited oversight.” Deputy District Attorney Ben Moreno, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit, is prosecuting the case. Fike is scheduled for an early disposition conference on July 27, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 13 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He is currently in custody with bail set at $150,000. Further investigation into Fike remains ongoing and anyone with additional information regarding the investigation of Fike, can contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Terrance Dobrosky at (805) 383-4779. The Ventura County Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (VC-CEHTTF) is comprised of investigators and prosecutors with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Simi Valley Police Department, Oxnard Police Department, Ventura Police Department, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol, the FBI, and United States Attorney’s Office. The Task Force is committed to identifying, rescuing, and protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse through education, enforcement, and through partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies. The Task Force reminds parents to remain vigilant as to their children’s social media and internet activities to keep them safe from predators. Parents can help protect their children by educating them of the risks and dangers of online interactions with people they do not know and by teaching them healthy internet habits. Parents are encouraged to monitor their children’s internet usage and setting limits. Case: 2023018280 Arrested on: |
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
 Fillmore City Fire Department and the Ventura County Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 250 E. Telegraph Road at the El Dorado Mobile Home Estates on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at 3:45 p.m. When firefighters arrived, they encountered a mobile home fully involved in flames. Neighbors were spraying water with garden hoses to stop the fire from spreading to surrounding residences. Fillmore Fire Chief Keith Gurrola said the fire’s rapid spread within the unit was due to the heat; in the city on Sunday, the high temperature was 91 degrees. Due to the fire investigator’s determination that the incident was suspicious in nature, Fillmore City Fire dispatched the Fillmore Police Department to assist with the investigation while fire crews were on the site. A 27-year-old woman who lives at the home was arrested by deputies based on their investigation at the scene. The female subject was taken into custody for PC 451-Arson and was booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility, said Fillmore Police Chief Eduardo Malagon. Photo credit Angel Esquivel-AE News. Enlarge Photo |
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
MISSION: We develop high-performing students who are engaged and productive members of society. VISION: Fillmore Unified School District prides itself as a district rich in culture, history, and tradition where each student is recognized, valued, and inspired to be contributing members of our global society. July 24, 2023 Dear FUSD Community, I would like to thank our students, families, and community members for attending the July 18, 2023, board meeting. The meeting provided a respectful and structured environment for all members of the public to be heard. As your Superintendent, I would like to reaffirm my commitment to uphold the district’s mission and vision statement to ensure that each student is recognized, valued, and inspired to be contributing members of our global society. The mission and vision statement were board adopted in October of 2021 and serve as a guide for our district. The existing resources provided on district-sponsored websites and district-sponsored social media sites are provided for students and families who choose to utilize them. The Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) will continue to share existing local and county resources, including One Step a la Vez, for families to assist them in supporting their children's education and well-being. FUSD will also continue to identify additional relevant resources for students and families. As we move forward, we will continue to review board policies and administrative regulations to ensure they are effectively implemented and adhered to. This will ensure that our district operates in compliance with state and federal regulations, fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. We will continue to prioritize the importance of collaborating with our families and the wider community and we know that the strength of our educational system here in Fillmore and Piru lies in the support and involvement of our students, families, and community. Let us continue to work together to model respect, empathy, and understanding for one another. Our students are counting on us! Respectfully, |
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
 On Thursday, July 20, 2023, at 7:45pm, Police were in the area of East Telegraph Road and Timber Canyon contacting a subject who matched the description as a suspect for a hit & run that occurred in the city of Fillmore earlier that evening. Within minutes the sergeant advised dispatch that the suspect escaped custody, southbound on Timber Canyon Road running across the SR126 towards the Santa Clara Riverbed. Additional deputies from Santa Paula Police Dept., Thousand Oaks, and Headquarters responded to assist Fillmore deputies with a perimeter; the subject was not located. Photo credit Angel Esquivel-AE News. Enlarge Photo |
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By Gazette Staff Writers — Friday, July 28th, 2023
 A suspect has been identified and arrested for burglarizing a local residence where he was an entrusted employee. Over the past month, the homeowner discovered expensive jewelry and currency missing from her residence. The victim took proactive steps and installed a security camera to capture and identify the suspect responsible for the thefts. On July 19, 2023, the suspect returned and entered the residence where he began rifling through the victim’s bedroom. The victim called 911 and deputies assigned to the Santa Clara Valley Fillmore Patrol Station responded to the in-progress crime. Upon arrival, deputies quickly identified the suspect as Antonio Martinez, an employee for the homeowner who was still at the location. A search of Martinez and his vehicle yielded numerous pieces of jewelry and currency that belonged to the victim. Deputies arrested Martinez for residential burglary and grand theft. Detectives assigned to the Santa Clara Valley Station responded to assist with the investigation. Detectives authored and served a search warrant at Martinez’s residence located in the Newhall / Los Angeles County area. During the search, detectives located and seized additional stolen jewelry that belonged to the victim. Martinez was subsequently booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility where he remains in custody with his bail set at $50,000. Nature of Incident: Residential Burglary and Grand Theft Arrest (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent (S) Antonio Martinez Newhall 44 Prepared by: Detective Sergeant Will Hollowell |