Gerardo Rosales Villa was sentenced by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Patricia Murphy to 22 years in prison for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and with gross negligence, which caused the deaths of Miguel Gallardo, Guillermo Aguiniga, Juan Gallardo, Raul Fletes, and Horacio Sanchez. The sentence was the maximum prison term possible for the crime. Villa was also found guilty of committing the crime after having been previously convicted of driving under the influence in 1999. The driving that led to the deaths of the five victims occurred during the early morning hours of September 13, 2008, on Guiberson Road , between Piru and Fillmore. While driving with approximately twice the legal limit of alcohol and with methamphetamine in his system, Villa drifted over the center line of the two-lane road and struck a utility pole. The pole tore through the vehicle, killing the five passengers instantly, while Villa survived virtually unharmed. The fatal collision was investigated by the California Highway Patrol. (Courtesy of Ventura County District Attorneys Office.)

At 3:51AM Friday, January 1, 2010, Christian Cardoza, 25, of Fillmore, stated he was walking in the area of 4th Street, north Fillmore, when an unknown gang member, also on foot, shot him. Cardoza was transported to the Santa Paula Memorial Hospital emergency room with a single gunshot wound to the lower leg. He was reported in good condition. Fillmore Gang Unit had been on a gun seizure case all night in the same area and immediately responded.

* * *

Fillmore Deputies conducted a gang sweep on January 05, 2010. They had information that some Fillmore gang members were living in the 1000 Block of East Santa Paula Street in the City of Santa Paula. During the sweep the following two gang criminals were arrested with a stolen gun, drugs for sale and cash.

30 year old Frank Arias (Santa Paula) Felony Charges: 11378 H&S - Possession of meth for sale; 11370.1(a) H&S - Possession of a controlled substance with a firearm; 496(a) PC - Possession of stolen gun; 12021 PC - Possession of a firearm by a felon; 12021(d) PC - Unlawful firearm activity; 12020(a)(1) PC - Possession of a deadly weapon; and 12316(b)(1) PC - Possession of ammunition by felon.

18 year-old Rudy Damian Mora (Fillmore). Felony Charges: CONTINUED »

The Fillmore Unified School District is applying to take part in the State's “Race to the Top” grant program.
District Superintendent Jeff Sweeney sent a letter of intent to the State last month and said the district will submit the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by this Friday, January 8, which is the deadline. No one has seen the state plan and the MOU spells out some commitments that will be required. Those requirements are: 1. Implementing common core standards and quality assessments. 2. Using data systems to support instruction. 3. Ensuring great teachers and leaders by designing and using annual personnel evaluations, providing professional development, addressing compensation, retention and removal of personnel, etc. 4. Turning around the lowest achieving schools.

The state application to the federal government will be submitted on January 19. In April the federal government is expected to announce the grant awards to the states which they select to participate. When that happens, participating districts would be given 90 days to develop their implementation plans. The MOU says districts can decide to “opt out” of the program, but only if the State agrees.

“The district could get as much as $750,000 under the program, but funds will only be allowed to be used for very specific things,” said Sweeney. Board member Tony Prado said,”If the money is significant than we should pursue it.”

The grant is based on school and student performance. First and CONTINUED »

Report #: 09-31998
Location: 900 Block Blaine Avenue, Fillmore, CA
Date & Time: 12/31/09 / 3:46 P.M
Unit Responsible: Fillmore Police Gang Unit

Suspect Arrested: Ivan Guzman 25 years Fillmore
Jose Mariscal 26 years Fillmore

On 12/31/09, at approximately 3:45 P.M, the Fillmore Police Department Gang Unit conducted probation searches in Fillmore. The street gang unit focused on making the community safer by removing drugs and firearms in advance of the New Year’s holiday.

During the operation, officers searched a residence in the 900 Block of Blaine Avenue in Fillmore. As a result, suspect Ivan Guzman was arrested for multiple felony counts including possession of stolen firearms and street terrorism. Both felony counts carry a bail of $105,000.

In addition suspect, Jose Mariscal, was arrested in the same house for outstanding warrants for theft and drug charges. He was booked along with Guzman. His bail is set at $12,500.

Officers took a dangerous criminal combination of a gang member, 5 guns, ammunition and drugs off the streets of Fillmore.

Airforce Airman First Class Jacob Bailey

2007 Fillmore High School Graduate Jacob Bailey, 20 years old is stationed with the United States Air Force at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California. In addition to FHS Jacob attended Fillmore Middle School. Jacob was an avid soccer player and played with Fillmore’s Club Team “BIB”. He enjoyed many years in AYSO and was on the FHS soccer team all 4 years he attended. Jacob also had the privilege of being part of the 2005 FHS CIF championship soccer team.

Airman First Class (A1C) Jacob Bailey is the son of Janell and Arthur Beach of Fillmore California and Brad and Toni Bailey of Salt Lake City, Utah. His siblings are Justin Beach 13 years of Fillmore and Aaron Bailey 14 years of of Salt Lake City, Utah. His maternal grandparents are Ted and Claudine Saxton of Woods Cross, Utah and paternal grandfather Tony Bailey of Salt Lake City, Utah. Jacob follows a long line of family having served in the United States Armed Forces. Jacob currently has two cousins in the military; Jeremy Horton a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who recently returned from Okinawa, Japan and William Platt a Private First Class serving in the United States Army Reserves currently deployed in Afghanistan. Jacob also has one uncle, Mark Saxton, a Master Sergeant currently in the United States Army Special Forces. Jacob’s step father, Arthur Beach, is a retired Senior Master Sergeant serving 21 years in the United States Air Force and was part of the inspiration for Jacob wanting to join the Air Force.

Airman First Class Jacob Bailey enlisted in the United States Air CONTINUED »

Attorneys for the Fillmore Convalescent Center announced today they will take immediate steps to set aside a Ventura County jury verdict handed down last Friday awarding $7.75 million to the family of a 71-year-old resident who filed an elder abuse lawsuit.

Between 2006 and 2007, Mrs. Arellano’s son hid a video camera in Mrs. Arellano’s room for a period of several months. During this time, unknown to Fillmore Convalescent Center, the video camera recorded unlawful and unacceptable acts of the recorded physical abuse behavior by a now former employee against Mrs. Arellano. Although Mrs. Arellano’s family was aware of the abuse, it was not brought to Fillmore Convalescent Center’s attention until March 2007 nor was there any indication of issues with Mrs. Arellano’s care until this time. Upon learning of these events, Fillmore Convalescent Center immediately terminated the employee and notified the California Department of Health as well as the long-term care ombudsman. Since this time, the ex-employee responsible for these unlawful and unacceptable acts was criminally charged and pleaded “no contest” to the criminal charges. Last Friday, after a 22 day trial, a Ventura County jury awarded $2.5 million in actual damages and $5 million in punitive damages against the facility, owner Eduardo Gonzales and the ex-employee.

“With regards to the verdict in this case, we strongly disagree with the decision and will be taking all appropriate legal steps to set aside the verdict,” said Thomas Beach, attorney representing Fillmore Convalescent Center (FCC). “We are also concerned as to why Mrs. Arellano’s family members did not inform Fillmore Convalescent Center or law enforcement of the recorded abuse when they first discovered it but rather allowed it to continue without notifying anyone,” said Beach.

Fillmore Convalescent Center was recently awarded a five-star rating which is the highest rating given to a long-term care facility. This U.S. Government rating is from the Nursing Home Compare System which is run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“We are proud of our five star rating and are committed to the health, safety and well-being of the residents at Fillmore Convalescent Center”, said Eduardo Gonzales, Administrator, Fillmore Convalescent Center. For the past 32 years, Fillmore Convalescent Center has provided and continues to provide the finest in quality care for all of our residents, including Mrs. Arellano, who is still a resident.