Ventura County Sheriff's Department

500 block of E. Telegraph Rd. Fillmore, CA 93015
Date & Time: 07/19/2009 Approximately 3:00 A.M.
Unit Responsible: Sheriff Major Crimes Unit

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department responded to a residence in the 500 block of Telegraph Road reference a report of people fighting and several injured victims at the location. Deputies from the Sheriff’s Department’s Fillmore, Headquarters, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, and Moorpark Stations were dispatched to the call. Responding deputies were confronted with a large crowd and numerous victims. Due to the size of the crowd and large crime scene, officers from the California Highway Patrol and the Santa Paula Police Department responded to assist.

Multiple ambulances and County Fire units were dispatched to treat the victims. Eight victims were transported to four local hospitals and two victims were treated at the scene but refused medical assistance. The identities of the victims and their medical status are not being released at this time.

Anyone having information regarding this crime is asked to call (805) 477-7032.

Anyone wishing report information and remain anonymous can call Crimestoppers at 800-222-Tips (8477). Information resulting in the arrest and prosecution may receive up to a $1,000.00 reward.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: 704 Ventura St., Fillmore
Date & Time: 7-9-09 / 4:30 p.m.
Unit Responsible: Fillmore Station Detectives

(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (W)itnesses, Address, Age
(V)Fillmore Chevron gas station, 704 Ventura St., Fillmore, CA.
(S)Rene Martinez, Santa Paula, 19

At approximately 4:30 p.m., deputies from the Fillmore Police Department responded to a call of a robbery at the Chevron gas station in the City of Fillmore. When they arrived, they learned a suspect, later identified as nineteen-year-old Rene Martinez of Santa Paula, had stolen two 18-packs of beer from the store. When confronted by the store employee, Martinez produced a handgun and threatened the employee. Martinez fled the area in a silver Nissan with three other men. The Nissan was registered to a Santa Paula address.

At approximately 4:48 p.m., officers with the Santa Paula Police Department stopped the suspect vehicle at 12th St. and Ventura St. in the City of Santa Paula. Martinez and three other men were detained during the stop. During the investigation, Martinez was positively identified as the robbery suspect. A handgun was recovered in the vehicle along with the merchandise, which had been taken.

Fillmore deputies arrested Martinez for 211 PC – Robbery and booked him into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility, Ventura. The other men were not charged and were released.

For over two hundred years a true “government by the people” has been diligently sought after by the American people. When the U.S. Constitution was adopted, only white male property owners were granted the right to vote. Since the original Bill of Rights was enacted there have been only seventeen Amendments to the Constitution; seven of them concerned voting rights. In 1810 the last religious requirement for voting eligibility was removed. The requirement for ownership of property was suspended in 1850. Former slaves were given the vote in 1870; women in 1920; and Native Americans in 1924. Poll taxes and literacy tests were banned in the mid-1960’s. The voting age was set at 18 in 1971.

The right to vote is a right that patriots have fought and died for throughout our country’s history. It is each citizen’s main vehicle for having his/her voice heard concerning the terms, conditions and direction the country establishes that will govern his/her way of life. It is a precious gift that should be utilized with great care and a deep sense of responsibility. We as a people need to be diligent in our scrutiny of candidates for public office. We need to determine if they steadfastly defend our interests; if they follow our wishes or their own agendas when representing us in the halls of congress; if they do what they promised us they would do. We need to be astutely aware of who has the greatest influence on these candidates; is it big business, labor unions, special interest groups or the people who elected them into office. Each candidate’s honesty and integrity should also be carefully considered. CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

At approximately 10:30 p.m. Saturday July 11, A strong arm robbery occurred on the 200-300 block of Saratoga St. Rigoberto Santa Rosa 31, was walking north bound on Saratoga Street from a local market. He was approached from behind and knocked to the ground by two suspects. Hispanic male 18-20 years. They then stole his wallet, his beer, and a cell phone. SantaRosa was able to flee uninjured. The suspects are at large. Gang Unit will investigate. Courtesy of Fillmore Police Department.

Interim City Manager Larry Pennell

Fillmore City Council held a Special Meeting on July 14th to discuss the appointment of a permanent City Manager. All five Council Members, the Transitional City Manager Larry Pennell, and City Attorney Ted Schneider were present. The discussion itself took place in closed session, but beforehand the Council mentioned some of the issues involved in their upcoming decision.

Council Member Jamey Brooks requested that the Council discuss the permanent City Manager's pay range as a future agenda item. He wants to set a firm limit at the high end of the range, and opined that the current salary is too high. The current salary range is $9,395.84 - $10,583.33 per month, or an annual salary of $112,750 - $127,000. Pennell mentioned that the position candidates are good people who are on the way up, and for the most part already employed. He provided the Council with handouts listing salaries of city managers in cities comparable to Fillmore. Council Member Laurie Hernandez said that Fillmore's salary was not out of line, but agreed that it should be discussed as soon as possible. Mayor Patti Walker noted that Pennell is scheduled to cease being Transitional City Manager after August 26th. The City's employment agreement with him limits the total number of hours he will work. The agenda item was set for the July 28th meeting, because the July 23rd meeting already has a full agenda. CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

POLICE BLOTTER
07/02/09 – 07/07/09
BURGLARY VEHICLE
07/02/09
Olive St. / Ventura St.
SEARCH WARRANT
07/02/09
700 Block 4th Street
07/02/09
200 Block Olive Street
07/06/09
100 Block Surrey Way
07/06/09
300 Block Fillmore Street
VANDALISM
07/02/09
900 Block Ventura Street
07/05/09
1000 Block Waterford Lane
07/06/09
N. C. Street / Meadowlark Dr.
07/06/09
B. St. / Burlington Street
07/07/09
300 Block Main Street
THEFT OTHER CONTINUED »

Enlarge Photo

Enlarge Photo

Ariat, International of Union City, California, Resistol Hats of Garland, Texas and the National High School Rodeo Association-Wrangler Division is proud to announce that Tyler Forsberg, Piru, was recently named the boy's Ail-Around Champion for the year by the 2009 California Junior High School Rodeo Association.

To earn this honor, Forsberg accumulated more points in two or more events, than any other male California High School Rodeo members for the 2008-2009 rodeo season, which ended with the recent California Junior High School Rodeo finals held in Plymouth, California.

Forsberg finished the state/province finals as follows: Tie Down Roping – Reserve Champion 2009; Boys Goat Tying – Champion (won 3 rounds and average); Ribbon Roping – Champion (won 2 rounds and average); Team Roping Heeler (won 2 rounds and average).

For being named the All-Around Champion, Forsberg was awarded numerous prizes as well as a new pair of Ariat boots and a new Resistol straw hat.

"This sponsorship of the boy's year-end Ail-Around awards for the 47 NHSRA-Wrangler Division state and provincial associations is a true privilege for Ariat and Resistol. We take great pride in manufacturing the finest footwear and cowboy hats available for the equine competitor and consider it to be an honor to be the official footwear and cowboy hat of the National High School Rodeo Association-Wrangler Division," comments Tabatha Nelson, Sponsorship Coordinator for Ariat and Stan Redding of Resistol Hats.

"Without the tremendous support the NHSRA-Wrangler Division receives from great companies like Ariat, the NHSR-Wrangler Division would simply not be able to accomplish everything it does for its members. The Ariat All-Around Champion awards program is just on example of how much all of our sponsors care about the success of the NHSRA-Wrangler Division," adds Kent Sturman, NHSRA Executive Director.

As a non-profit corporation organized in 1947 to support youth, education, the great sport of rodeo, and the North American western heritage, the NHSRA is the world's largest rodeo organization with over 12,000 members. Annually, the NHSRA sanctions more than 1,200 rodeos through out the U.S., Canada, and Australia. To find out more about high school rodeo or how you can become involved with the NHSRA, call the NHSRA National Office at 1-800-466-4772 or visit the web site at www.nhsra.org.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

At approximately 1:37 a.m., July 5, 2009, deputies with the Fillmore Police Department responded to a call of a shooting victim in the 1000 block of Wileman St. When they arrived, they found that Rafael Torres 21, a resident of Santa Paula, had suffered a single gunshot to his chest.

Torres was treated at the scene by personnel with the Fillmore Fire Department and American Medical Response and transported to the Ventura County Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sergeant Hester, with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Crimes Unit, or the Ventura County Crime Stoppers.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 494-TALK (Thousand Oaks / Moorpark)