California Highway Patrol

One suspect is in custody after attempting to evade Santa Barbara Sheriff Deputies and California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officers. On 07/09/08, Ricky Demarest, 36 years of age of Santa Maria was driving a reported stolen Volkswagen Jetta when the Santa Barbara County Sheriff Department attempted to stop the vehicle for a speeding violation. Demarest failed to yield and a pursuit ensued.

California Highway Patrol Officers took over the pursuit southbound on US-101 in Santa Barbara County. The Volkswagen continued southbound on US-101 at excessive speeds and failed to yield. A spike strip was deployed and was effective in puncturing all four tires. The Volkswagen came to a stop on southbound US-101, south of Victoria, as it became stuck on the right shoulder.

Demarest refused to comply with officer commands and a struggle ensued. California Highway Patrol officers deployed the Taser, yet Demarest continued to resist. A Ventura County Sheriff Deputy K-9 was utilized to assist in apprehension of the suspect.

Eventually the CHP officers and the VSO deputy were able to place the subject under arrest at approximately 8:12 p.m. Demarest was arrested for multiple charges including auto theft, DUI, evading arrest, resisting arrest, assault on a police dog, and a felony warrant. Demarest was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On July 12th, 2008, John Stipec Jr., father of Pamela Mueller, was reported missing. Stipec is driving a Dodge pick-up truck that was recently purchased. He occasionally drives to the stores on Wendy Drive in Newbury Park. However, Stipec is unfamiliar with the streets in Thousand Oaks and frequently travels on Lynn Road to get to Newbury Park. Before leaving his house, Stipec threatened to take his own life. Stipec has recently exhibited signs of dementia. Stipec takes medication for high blood pressure and did not take any of his medications with him when he left. Last week, Stipec mentioned to a family friend that he wanted to drive his new truck up to San Francisco.

- John Stipec Jr., 7/22/22
- W/M, 6’1”, 190lbs., White Hair, Hazel Eyes
- Last Known Location: Best Western, 75 West Thousand Oaks Blvd.
- Address: 6 Magellan St. Thousand Oaks
- Vehicle: Red, Dodge Dakota Pick-Up Truck, Plate: 7X11879

THIS BULLETIN IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
Please contact Detective Buschow with any information regarding the whereabouts of Stipec.
Desk: 805.494.8226 Cell: 805.947.8129

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill (Camarillo)
1101 Daily Drive
Camarillo, Ca. 93010

Date & Time: Tuesday, July 22nd from 5:00 to 9:30 pm

Tip-A-Cop, Camarillo will have representatives of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department volunteering their time to become “celebrity servers” with all tips becoming tax-deductible donations to Special Olympics Ventura County.

Eight law enforcement agencies and more than a dozen restaurants team up during the year in support of Special Olympics Ventura County. “Tip-A-Cop” nights are designed to invite the public to a dining experience filled with fun, entertainment, and a chance to meet their local law enforcement agencies. Tips for the evening become tax-deductible donations to Special Olympics and provide athletic training and competition to over seven hundred (700) intellectually disabled children and adults, ages 8 years and up. All activities are free of charge to the athletes. Athletes participate in fifteen sports at over forty training sites throughout Ventura County.

Highlights of this year’s evening include: McGruff the Crime Dog for kids to meet and get suggestions for safety, Sheriff Department police cars to look at, and Sheriff Department K-9’s to pet and adore. Also, deputies will be available to answer questions and inform the public. In addition, kids will receive free junior deputy stickers!

Ventura County Special Olympic athletes will also attend to help serve food, talk with guests about how Special Olympics is important to them, and sell Torch Run T-Shirts. The athletes are eager to display their medals of achievement and share their recent experiences at Special Olympics events.

Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and Special Olympics Ventura County would like to thank General Manager Rob Harrison and all of the staff at Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill for continuing to support this event.

Ventura County Fire Department

CAMARILLO, Calif. – The C.M. Meiers Co. of Woodland Hills and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. have teamed up to donate more than $33,000 to the Ventura County Fire Department for the purchase of mobile communications equipment that will make information immediately available to the public and media during emergencies.
Satellite telephone and television equipment – along with computer, fax, copying and cellular technology – has been installed in one of the department’s emergency vehicles to create a mobile communications center for the Public Information office.
“This equipment allows us to provide up-to-the-minute reports from the scene of an emergency, and that could save lives,” said Capt. Barry Parker, who spearheaded the effort to equip the vehicle. “Ventura County has many canyons and remote areas where cell service can be spotty, and even radio transmissions can be difficult. With the addition of satellite capability, we can now be more certain of getting the word out quickly on evacuations, road closures and dangerous fire conditions.”
Other equipment in the vehicle allows for television reception and can also send and receive such essential information as maps, weather updates and photos.
The grant package that made the purchase of the equipment possible is part of a nationwide program called Fireman’s Fund Heritage® which is funded by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. The program is designed to provide needed equipment, training and educational tools to local fire departments. Since 2004, Fireman’s Fund has issued grants totaling more than $18 million.
Representatives from the Ventura County Fire Department, C.M. Meiers and Fireman’s Fund will attend a special event for the presentation of the grant package and a demonstration of the vehicle’s capabilities on Thursday, July 17 at 11:30 a.m. in front of Fire Station 50. The station is located at 189 Las Posas Rd. in Camarillo. The media is invited.

Current Situation: Firefighters continue to make progress in containing wildfires throughout California. To date over fourteen hundred fires have been contained due to the diligent and endless work of firefighters from not only California, but throughout the nation. Red Flag Warnings are in effect throughout northern California and the central California coastal range. Record high temperatures and low humidity are again predicted for northern California today. The priority of firefighting is for the protection of life, property and natural resources.

Statistics:

Fires:
· Peak Fires: 1,781
· Contained: 1,458
· Active: 323
Acres: 675,631
Personnel Committed: 18,954
Resources Committed:
Engines: 1,530
Crews: 388
Dozers: 259
Water Tenders: 398
Helicopters: 110

Items of Interest:
Highway closures: State highways, county and local roads are closed throughout California due to wildfire activities. Closures and delays remain in place for State Highways 1 (Big Sur Area), 32, 70 and 96. Travelers are advised to seek current information from local law enforcement.

Evacuations: Areas of Butte, Kern, Monterey, Santa Barbara and Shasta counties are under evacuation orders at this time. Precautionary evacuation orders currently exist in areas in Butte, Kern, Mendocino, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Shasta and Plumas counties. Residents are advised to monitor their local fire situation, check with local law enforcement agencies for information, and be prepared to evacuate when necessary.

Structures:
Threatened: 12,823 residences, 165 commercial, 2,763 outbuildings.
Destroyed: 96 residences, 1 commercial, 88 outbuildings.
http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents.php

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: Citibank 33 N. Moorpark Road Thousand Oaks , Ca
Date & Time/ RB#: July 3, 2008 / 12:45 p.m. 08-17913
Unit Responsible: East County Major Crimes Unit

Narrative:
An unidentified man used what appeared to be a simulated explosive device to threaten employees and customers during a bank robbery Thursday afternoon.

The robber walked into the Citibank branch at the corner of Moorpark Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard wearing a fisherman’s hat pulled down to his eyes and a white cloth covering his face. The man held a device that witnesses described as a cluster of batteries and wires wrapped in duct tape. The man told everyone present that he had a bomb. He calmly walked up to two bank employees and demanded money.

The robber received an undisclosed amount of cash and fled on foot toward Hillcrest Drive. He was described as being approximately 5’6” to 5’10” and weighing 180 lbs. He had dark hair and was wearing a dark blue fishing hat, a gray fleece shirt, and dark blue pants. No one was injured during the heist.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact Detective Jon Smith of the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: 3600 Block Orange Drive, Nyeland Acres
Unit Responsible: Sheriff’s Narcotics / Bomb Team

(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (W)itnesses Address Age
Eloisa Mendez Nyeland Acres 75
Sasha Campos Fullerton 18
Alicia Lopez Ventura 20

Narrative:
In June 2008, Sheriff’s Narcotics Detectives received information that a subject known as “Grandma” was possibly selling illegal drugs from a residence in the 3600 Block of Orange Drive, in the unincorporated area of Oxnard known as Nyeland Acres. A search warrant was obtained and subsequently served on the residence. Detectives contacted “Grandma” who was later identified as 75-year-old Eloisa Mendez. Prior to personnel initiating a search and disrupting the household, Mendez was given the opportunity to turn over any illegal drugs. She responded that it was the detectives’ job to find it. Detectives located approximately 1 ounce of cocaine and 1 ½ ounces of methamphetamine, a 9mm handgun with 2 – “30” round magazines, and a .22 caliber revolver. Information learned during the investigation, and evidence found at the residence, linked the illegal items to Mendez. She was arrested for possession of cocaine and methamphetamine for sale and was booked into the Ventura County Sheriff’s Pre-Trial Detention Facility.

As the plain cloths detectives were concluding the above investigation and preparing to leave the residence, they were approached by 2 female subjects and asked if they wanted to purchase fireworks. The detectives identified themselves and detained Sasha Campos and Alicia Lopez. In their vehicle detectives found several illegal fireworks. The Sheriff’s Bomb Team was summoned and Campos and Lopez were cited for possession / sales of illegal fireworks.

Fillmore Patrol Deputies were dispatched to an injury collision in front of 1157 Ventura Street. The occupants were trapped in their 1987 Mazda pick-up truck that had collided with the rear end of a parked semi-truck trailer. The trailer was parked off the highway on the south side of the roadway. Initial investigation by Deputies and Fillmore Fire Department EMS determined the two occupants were severely injured.

Fire personnel took nearly an hour to extricate the occupants from the heavily damaged vehicle. Both occupants Candalario DelGado-Sanchez (approximately 20), and Rene Ayala (approximately 24) both from Oxnard, were transported to Ventura County Medical Center by AMR ambulance.

The passenger succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital at 0627 hours. The driver sustained multiple injures and was admitted in the hospital Intensive Care Unit.

Due to the lack of witnesses, there were no immediate indications why the driver drifted off the roadway.

Investigation is continuing as to the cause of the collision and possible criminal charges filed against the driver.

Current Situation: State, local and federal firefighters continue to battle hundreds of wildfires throughout California. Although fires continue to burn, several hundreds of fires have been contained by the relentless work of firefighters from California and throughout the nation. Military assistance continues to increase in the form of helicopters and air tankers. The priority of firefighting is for the protection of life, property and natural resources.

Statistics:

Fires: 1,459
Acres: 423,244
Personnel Committed: 18,900
Resources Committed:

Engines: 1,461
Crews: 568
Dozers: 341
Water Tenders: 407
Helicopters: 103

Items of Interest:

Highway closures: State highways and local roads are closed throughout California due to wildfire activities. Closures and delays are in place for State Highways 1 (Big Sur Area), 32, 70 and 299 (delays). Numerous county and local roads are closed as well. Travelers are advised to seek current information from local law enforcement.

Evacuations: Areas of Butte, Monterey and Shasta counties are under evacuation orders at this time. Precautionary evacuation orders are in place for areas in Butte, Kern, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey and Shasta counties. Residents are advised to monitor the fire situation in their areas, check with local law enforcement agencies for information, and be prepared to evacuate when necessary.

Structures:
Threatened: 8,628 residences, 154 commercial, 3,035 outbuildings.
Destroyed: 29 residences, 1 commercial, 20 outbuildings

California Highway Patrol

On 12/19/07, a fatal collision occurred at approximately 4:30 PM on northbound US 101, just south of Padre Juan Canyon Road. A Ventura Area CHP motorcycle officer, Officer Anthony Pedeferri, #14507, was on a stop when a northbound full-size Chevy pickup truck with two occupants drifted onto the shoulder and struck the stopped vehicle, a Nissan SUV with one occupant, causing the Nissan SUV to burst into flames and both vehicles to rest blocking northbound US 101.

Officer Pedeferri, who was standing on the right side of the stopped Nissan, was propelled by the impact onto the dirt embankment, adjacent to the shoulder. He was airlifted by Ventura County Sheriff Department helicopter to the Ventura County Medical Center for treatment with severe injuries.

The driver of the stopped Nissan, identified as 20-year-old Andreas Parra from Phoenix, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Chevy, Jeremy White, a 20-year old from Paso Robles, was arrested and booked at Ventura County Jail on felony DUI charges and vehicular manslaughter.

Officer Anthony Pedeferri, an 11-year veteran of the California Highway Patrol, has endured over six months of recovery and rehabilitation. He is currently being treated at Craig Hospital in Colorado with his most traumatic injury being the severance of the spinal chord, resulting in paralysis from the chest down.

The law enforcement community is happy to report that Officer Pedefferi is coming home! This Wednesday, July 2nd, media and well-wishers can see Officer Anthony Pedeferri in a law enforcement escort to his home. Individuals can congregate on Las Posas Rd, between Ventura Blvd and US-101 at approximately 1:45-2:00 pm.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Halfway Café Station is a local bar in the Ozena Valley area of northern Ventura County near Lockwood Valley. This area is extremely remote and isolated. Cellular telephones and radios rarely work, if ever. Quite often, the only means of wireless communication is a satellite telephone.

At approximately 6:00 am on 6-27-08, a female co-owner of the Halfway Café Station was alerted to criminal activity occurring at the establishment and responded from her nearby residence armed with a handgun. When the bar owner arrived, Greg Dunlap was exiting the building carrying two cases of Budweiser beer, a bottle of Root Beer Schnapps, and a carton of cigarettes. The bar owner fired a warning shot into the air and Dunlap became compliant with her directives.

Since no communication methods existed, the bar owner instructed Dunlap to begin walking northbound on Highway 33 while she held him a gunpoint. This was done in the hopes of alerting a passing motorist. No vehicles passed and the bar owner directed Dunlap towards a nearby ranch, but no one was home. She then fired two more shots into the air in an attempt to get someone’s attention. Eventually, individuals from another ranch arrived, and one of the parties drove ten miles and contacted Santa Barbara Resident Deputy Troy Carpenter, who responded as well as notified on-duty law enforcement personnel, including Ventura County Sheriff’s Lockwood Valley Resident Deputy Tom Triplett.

Dunlap was arrested for burglary as well as two outstanding warrants. He was booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility and is being held in lieu of $27,500 bail.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department Forensic Sciences Laboratory, led by Laboratory Manager Renee Artman, has become the first laboratory worldwide to achieve accreditation for its Breath Alcohol Calibrations through ASCLD/LAB- International.

According to Artman, “The Ventura County’s Breath Alcohol Calibration Program is now recognized to meet more scientifically stringent specifications than the oversight provided in the past by the California Department of Public Health. I have always known that the Sheriff’s Department provides a quality program to our community made up of state-of-the-art instrumentation and the best qualified and talented scientists in the field. Now this knowledge is shared among the forensic community,” declared the obviously proud manager.

The ASCLD/LAB-International accreditation program of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/ Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) is a program in which the laboratory participated to demonstrate that its technical operations and overall management systems meet the over 400 criteria of the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 requirements, the 2007 ASCLD/LAB-International Supplemental Requirements for Breath Alcohol Calibration, and the laboratory’s own documented management system.

The on-site assessment was conducted during the period of April 7-10, 2008 with assessors evaluating both in laboratory and in field breath alcohol calibration operations. Accreditation was granted to the laboratory during the June 21, 2008 ASCLD/LAB board meeting. Janet Anderson-Seaquist, Sheriff’s Department Alcohol Section Supervisor, has been appointed to serve on the ASCLD/LAB Technical Advisory Committee representing the Breath Alcohol Calibration Discipline. Section Forensic Scientists are recognized for their contribution to the continuous improvement of forensic science services in Ventura County. A representative of ASCLD/LAB will formally present the accreditation certificate to Sheriff Bob Brooks in a ceremony to celebrate this achievement. The first certificate granted is recognition that the Ventura County Laboratory has met a set of internationally recognized standards and has raised the bar for the operation of forensic laboratories.

Sheriff Bob Brooks is equally proud of the laboratory’s groundbreaking achievement. When asked about the accreditation, he stated, “I would like to credit the hard work and dedication of our outstanding lab staff for this accomplishment.”

On 06-17-08, Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks was presented with the Allen Heersch Memorial Cup from the members of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department’s Baker to Vegas Team. The Memorial Cup is given each year to Ventura County’s fastest law enforcement team.

The Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup is often referred to as the “Ultimate Foot Pursuit.” The relay race is a 120 mile, 20-stage, foot race that starts in Baker, CA, travels through the Mojave Desert to the town of Shoshone, CA, then north to Pahrump, NV, over the Mountain Springs Pass (5600') and down to Las Vegas, NV. Different stages range in times of days starting on a Saturday afternoon in Baker and finishing on Sunday Morning in Vegas. Temperatures range from 115 degrees during the afternoon to freezing temperatures atop of Mountain Springs Pass. This year the race consisted of over 250 teams of 20 runners each from law enforcement and criminal justice agencies from the United States and other agencies around the world.

In addition to competing against teams from around the country, Ventura County law enforcement agencies compete against each other for the Allen Heersch Memorial Cup. The Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Association in remembrance of Allen Heersch established the Memorial Cup in 2003. Sergeant Allen Heersch was a member of the Sheriff’s Department who died as a result of cancer. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department has captured the Memorial Cup for 5 of the 6 years since it has been established.

Among the Ventura County teams that have competed in the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup are the Oxnard Police Department, Simi Valley Police Department, Ventura Police Department, Ventura County Highway Patrol, Ventura County State Parks and The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. The race over the past years has been extremely competitive with the top three county teams from this year as followed: Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Simi Valley PD and Oxnard PD, the three teams were separated by only 25 minutes.

The Baker to Vegas race is privately funded and the teams and runners must come up with funds to pay entry fees, transportation to and during the race and other incidentals. Each year the Sheriff’s Department and local police departments are looking for sponsors to help with supporting the cost of the race and also for volunteers interested in joining and helping the teams for the weekend in Las Vegas. Although anyone can volunteer to help, runners must be sworn law enforcement officers and must be employed by the team for which they compete.

The members of the Sheriff’s Department’s Baker to Vegas team would like to thank the following sponsors: Bernzott Capital Advisors, Road Runner Sports, Steve Thomas BMW, On Duty Uniforms, El Rio 76 Gas Station, Camarillo Tow, Enterprise Rental Cars, The Ventura County Sheriff’s Correctional Officer’s Association, The Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the over 30 race volunteers and the members of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

If interested in sponsoring or volunteering to assist with next years race contact Mario Molina or Robert Steele from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department or your local law enforcement agency.

The California Conservation Corps has sent more than 700 corpsmembers -- the largest number in the program’s 32-year history -- to wildfires throughout the state.

CCC Director David Muraki said there are currently 709 corpmembers -- 58 crews-- assisting CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service on fires throughout the state. Most of the CCC crews are assisting with logistical support at the fire camps; some corpsmembers have been dispatched by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to help at an evacuation shelter.

Corpsmembers work 12-to-16-hour days while assigned to a fire, for stints up to 21 days.

CCC Director David Muraki said the Corps will do everything it can to assist the fire agencies and OES.

“We’ve called out more CCC crews right now than we’ve ever dispatched in the Corps’ history,” Muraki said. “While right now we’ve switched from our day-to-day natural resource projects to disaster response, we’ll be out there as long as they need us.”

The California Conservation Corps, created in 1976, hires young women and men for a year of environmental work and emergency response. Typical projects include building parks and trails, planting trees, improving fish and wildlife habitat and much more. The CCC has responded to nearly every major wildfire since the program was established, and also helps with forest rehabilitation efforts when the fires are out.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: 400 blk of Buckboard Road, Ojai
Sheriff's Narcotics Detectives received information that Ojai
resident Miles Williamson, 22 years, was selling marijuana from his
residence. A surveillance was conducted, during which, Williamson was seen
participating in what appeared to be drug transactions in the Ojai Valley.
Detectives obtained a Search Warrant and on 6-17-08, Williamson was detained
and found to be in possession of about 4 ounces of marijuana. The search of
his residence revealed another 4 pounds of marijuana. Williamson was booked
into the Sheriff's Main Jail for possession of marijuana for sale.

Enlarge Photo

On June 3, 2008, the Fillmore Police Department investigated a residential burglary and felony vandalism in the 900 block of Wileman Street in Fillmore.
As a result, police detectives identified the suspects as being tagging members of the All Faded Krew (AFK). A tagging crew such as AFK typically commits felony vandalism and other felonious crimes. They tend to conspire to destroy both public and private property. AFK is no exception, they burglarized the house on Wileman and kicked in the walls then stole numerous items.
The Fillmore Police Tagging Investigator is Deputy Gene Torres. Earlier in June, Deputy Torres arrested 2 adult and 3 juvenile AFK members for the original burglary. It was those arrests that assisted us in the investigation.
Deputy Torres conducted lengthy surveillance on the tagging crew and established intelligence information that lead to a Ventura County Judge issuing search warrants on seven Fillmore locations that AFK members used to conduct criminal activities.
On July 1, 2008, at about 0700 AM, Deputy Torres directed a 50 officer task force comprised of Fillmore Police and Ventura County Sheriff Deputies.
The task force served the 7 search warrants in the following locations: 500 Block East Telegraph, Fillmore, Block Via Rodeo, Fillmore, Block Wileman Street, Fillmore, 900 Block Wileman (Second Location), 1300 Block Cottonwood Lane, Fillmore, Block Sespe Avenue, Fillmore, 200 Block Avon Lane, Fillmore.
Six teams responded to the tagger residences and served the search warrants and probation searches. The following were arrested: 15 year-old male AFK tagger was arrested for Felony Residential Burglary, Conspiracy and Felony Vandalism. 23 year-old Daniel Montelongo was arrested for Felony Residential Burglary, Conspiracy and Felony Vandalism. 27 year-old Efrain Salazar was arrested for Felony Possession of Cocaine and Felony Possession of a Firearm.
In addition, Officers confiscated tagging evidence from search warrant locations that ties the AFK suspects into 20 open vandalism cases throughout Fillmore. We were shocked to discover and confiscate numerous illegal firearms including an AK-47 Assault Rifle with an 80 round magazine and numerous loaded clips. Also recovered were a shotgun and three high- powered semi automatic handguns.
The investigation is continuing against the AFK tagging crew and there are potential additional arrests pending. “Tagging crews are becoming bold and have obvious access to illegal firearms. They tend to be the breeding grounds for gang activity and The City of Fillmore has a zero tolerance of their criminal activities.”
Anyone with information about graffiti vandalism, or any other crime, are urged to call Crime Stoppers at (805) 524-0970 (Fillmore), Gang Hotline at 1-888-584-2647 or the Fillmore Police Department at (805) 524-2233.
Courtesy of Fillmore Police Department Ventura Count Sheriff Department.

In China from left to right is Captain Randy Pentis, Sargent Paul Higason, Sargent Frank Underlin, Captain Dave Kenney and Captain Tim Hagel.
Enlarge Photo

As if running a marathon isn’t difficult enough, a team of sheriff’s department runners will compete in an ultra marathon July 12th on some of the most challenging terrain on planet Earth. The team consists of Fillmore Capt. Tim Hagel and former Capt. Randy Pentis.
Known as Cops Running For Charity, the team will run a 35-mile course across the undulating glaciers and volcanoes north of Reykjavik, Iceland to raise money for charity. Situated on the northern portion of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is a study in geologic contrasts. Known as the land of fire and ice, the European island nation boasts several active volcanoes and massive glaciers.
“After that run, our legs will feel like they’re on fire, and we’ll need lots of ice…so, I guess we’re going to the right place,” said Sheriff’s Captain Randy Pentis, who leads the team of sheriff’s deputies.
The team is serious about their commitment to raising money for medical charities. This year, the focus will be to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Money raised for the JDRF will be presented on behalf of Senior Deputy District Attorney Ryan Wright, who has been battling type one diabetes for most of his life. Most people know Ryan as a dedicated husband and father, and a tough prosecutor who goes after narcotics dealers. He also is struggling to retain his eyesight, since suffering from diabetic retinopathy in both eyes. Diabetes affects many areas of the human body and is a slow, silent killer if not strictly controlled.
Captain Pentis knows the effects of diabetes all too well. His son, Dominic, also has type one diabetes.
“This has always hit close to home for me,” Pentis said. “I understand how diabetes can affect someone…and their whole family.”
The team has always championed causes close to home, despite the far-flung international challenges they are determined to take on. For the past several years, the team of adventurers has chosen a different exotic locale to test their endurance and supported a variety of charities along the way. Last year, the team invaded China for the Great Wall Marathon, which involved running much of the race on the steep steps of the historic structure. The previous year, the team ran across the dunes of the Sahara Desert in Tunisia.
Capt. Hagel spoke of the motivation behind the team’s commitment to run. “We simply challenge ourselves with the perceived impossible. We train about 30-50 miles per week and run thousands of miles a year; seven cops running in world class extreme running events. We don't have all the fancy trainers, team doctors, and support crews. We only have one another, our families and community. We are not the fastest, and in fact...we will never find first place. But we win each race with the satisfaction that we are raising money to support healthy children and fighting chronic disease that attacks our family, friends and citizens that we protect. Our challenge can't compare to the challenge that someone who has a chronic disease fights each and every day.”
Other charities that have benefited from the team’s hard work have been the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Association, the Alzheimer’s Foundation, Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), and Hospice.
For this year’s race, the team has set a tough training regimen to prepare for the upcoming event. Many weekends have been spent in Sycamore and La Jolla Canyons running on steep trails that mimic the terrain they will face in Iceland.
Anyone interested in supporting CRFC can contact Captain Randy Pentis at (805)494-8248 or by e-mail at randy.pentis@ventura.org