Captain Eduardo “Lalo” Malagon, Fillmore’s New Chief of Police.

Sheriff Jim Fryhoff is pleased to announce the city of Fillmore has selected Captain Eduardo “Lalo” Malagon as its next police chief. Malagon has been selected to replace outgoing chief, Captain Garo Kuredjian after the announcement of his upcoming promotion to commander.

"I had an instant connection with Lalo, his diverse background and ability to speak Spanish will be a great asset. I am looking forward to working closely with him,” said Fillmore City Manager David Rowlands. Malagon is a 23-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and a lifelong Ventura County resident. Lalo started his career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2000, where he worked as a Cadet and Sheriff’s Service Technician. After graduating the academy in 2003, Lalo worked a variety of assignments including Detention Services, Patrol Services, Special Enforcement Unit, Sheriff’s Gang Unit, and Special Crimes Unit/Intelligence. Lalo has served as a supervisor in Court Services, Narcotics Unit, Sheriff’s Gang Unit, and most recently as a Patrol Services Watch Commander. His collateral assignments have included the Tactical Response Team, SWAT Team operator, and SWAT Team supervisor. Lalo is happily married to his wife Carla of 20 years, and they are raising four children.

“I am excited for Captain Eduardo “Lalo” Malagon to continue the tradition of exemplary service to the city of Fillmore and the Santa Clara Valley,” said Sheriff Jim Fryhoff. “Lalo comes to Fillmore with a strong and diverse background of assignments which will serve him and the community well.”

Malagon will begin as Fillmore police chief on January 22, 2023. In speaking about the move, Malagon said, “I am blessed to have the opportunity to connect with the residents of Fillmore and provide the highest level of service possible.”

Prepared by: Captain Cameron Henderson
Approved by: Sheriff Jim Fryhoff

The City of Fillmore has partnered with Patrick Ibarra from The Mejorando Group, one of the nation’s leading experts on government succession and workforce planning for local governments, to facilitate a goal setting session with elected officials in developing forward-looking results based strategic plans to achieve superior performance while meeting the needs and expectations of the community of Fillmore.

Building for the future with a thoughtful purpose and keeping our most vulnerable on our minds, with clear communication to the residents and businesses were a top priority.
Key Results Areas included: Fiscal Management, Public Safety, Economic Development and Innovation, Natural Resources, Arts and Culture, Smart Growth, Community Affordability, Community Engagement and Communication, Infrastructure and Organizational Excellence. City Council and staff will be focusing on these areas over the next several years. “It was great to listen to city council discuss the future of Fillmore keeping the small town feel we all love while still moving forward in our ever-changing world” said David Rowlands, City Manager.

City Manager, David Rowlands, presented to City Council a 2023 Workplan focused on citywide initiatives and projects. The Work Plan is not intended to be comprehensive of all work underway by the City. This workplan is a foundation to achieve necessary goals. City Council was supportive of the provided workplan. Capturing highly visible projects and initiatives is an effective way to focus City attention and resources on the right priorities.

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On Tuesday morning, January 17, 2023, three male suspects were arrested after stealing a catalytic converter, assaulting a victim, and evading arrest in a vehicle pursuit. All three suspect were booked into Ventura County Jail with bail set at $250,000 each.

Santa Paula Police dispatch received a 9-1-1 call at about 3:00 a.m. A witness near the 600 block of Venus St. reported suspects removing the catalytic converter of a vehicle in front of a residence. The victim, who was awakened by a surveillance camera alert, walked out to the front of the residence to check the area and the was encountered by one suspect while the other suspects removed the catalytic converter from the victim’s vehicle using a portable electric saw.

While removing the catalytic converter, one of the suspects used the blade of the saw in an attempt to stab the victim as the victim tried to intervene. The suspects loaded the catalytic converter into a truck and drove away. The witness quickly provided suspect and vehicle information to the dispatcher. A broadcast was immediately announced and a Santa Paula Police Officer located the vehicle as it was leaving the city, eastbound on Highway 126. The vehicle failed to yield for a traffic stop and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Fillmore Station patrol deputies assisted in pursuing the vehicle.

The vehicle continued eastbound into Los Angeles County on Highway 126 and California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers deployed a spike strip in an attempt to disable the vehicle. The vehicle became disabled southbound on Interstate 5 near Rye Canyon Rd. All three suspects were taken into custody and were transported to the Santa Paula Police Station.

The victim did not sustain any injuries during the catalytic converter theft. The suspects were arrested for a variety of charges including conspiracy, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism, evading arrest, and grand theft. All three suspects were arraigned in Ventura County Superior Court on January 19th. The suspects were identified as Victor Trujillo, Billy Nava, and Marcelo Ramirez, all from Los Angeles.

Arrests were able to be made due to an alert resident reporting suspicious activity, the quick broadcast announced by the dispatcher, and the actions of Santa Paula police officers, Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies, and CHP officers. The victim’s catalytic converter, another catalytic converter, and tools of the crime were recovered as evidence. Anyone who believes their vehicle had a catalytic converter removed can report it the Santa Paula Police Department by calling (805) 525-4474.

The Santa Paula Police Department would like to remind citizens that, for safety reasons, do not attempt to intervene with suspects during the commission of crimes. Our community can help us best by observing and reporting crimes in progress. Residents are encouraged to report suspicious activity by dialing 9-1-1. In reference to catalytic converter thefts, suspicious activity such as the sound of electric saws operating in the early morning hours should be reported to police immediately. Residents can safeguard catalytic converters on their vehicles by etching/marking them with unique numbers. For more information, please view the following video link: https://tinyurl.com/zsb9zpx3

Agencies Responsible: Santa Paula Police Department, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, California, Highway Patrol
Press Release Prepared by: Don Aguilar, Interim Chief of Police

Written by Carina Monica Montoya

A very familiar face in Fillmore is Chief of Police of Fillmore’s finest for over three years, Captain Garo Kuredjian. He has been promoted to Commander and will be overseeing pre-trial detention in the City of Ventura later this month. Garo has attended many of Fillmore’s town events and celebrations, particularly local clubs and school events. He has been a hands-on police chief that got to know the community he served.

Born in Tripoli, Garo’s family emigrated from Lebanon to America when he was 5 years old. They first lived in Alpena, Michigan before relocating to Thousand Oaks in 1987. Garo graduated from Westlake High School and then on to UCLA, where he received his BA in economics. He is a loyal and avid UCLA college sports fan, and has been a season ticket holder for over the past two decades.

Garo has rose through the ranks in his profession because he loves what he does, much like athletes love their sport. From an early age, Garo knew that he wanted to become a police officer. He followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Jake, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy. It was a childhood dream for each of them to become police officers. Upon graduation from the Ventura County Sheriff’s academy in 1994, he was assigned to the Santa Paula jail where he worked from 1995-1998. From 1998 – 2002, he was assigned to field training in Thousand Oaks and Moorpark. When he was promoted to Senior Deputy Sheriff, he worked pre-trial in Ventura for awhile and then returned to patrol in Moorpark until his promotion to sergeant in 2006. In 2014, Garo was promoted to Captain where he became the assistant to the Sheriff and Undersheriff. He was the public information officer during the tragic Borderline Bar & Grill shooting in 2018. His reporting on the incident was broadcast around the country.

In 2019, Garo was assigned as Chief of Police of Fillmore. Under his leadership, the station serves approximately 450 square miles of unincorporated area in the Santa Clara River Valley, including the unincorporated communities of Bardsdale, Rancho Sespe, Santa Paula, and Upper Ojai.

Garo’s involvement in the community is focused on the youth in Fillmore. He is a board member of the Boys & Girls Club, an organization that concentrates on youth development in the areas of educational & career development, health & life skills, arts, sports, fitness, and recreation. Garo also helped bring back the Adopt-A-Cop program in Fillmore. The program encourages elementary school students to build positive relationships with police officers through interactive discussions and working with other students on teacher designed activities that help build character, and at the same time strengthening law enforcement’s relationship with the community. Garo believes that children are our future, and we need to invest in them because they are the leaders of tomorrow.

In addition to his extensive community involvement, including being a member of the Fillmore Rotary Club that strives to make positive changes in the community and around the world, Garo’s interests not only include his passion for community engagement and sports, but he is a devoted father and enjoys spending time with family and his dog, Oliver.

Courtesy Jan Lee

It is not too early to begin thinking about the Fillmore Flower Show, 2023! The theme for the show this year is “Garden Treasures”.

Every Spring, local gardeners, young and mature, bring their beautiful bouquets and arrangements, fine flowers, magnificent mini arrangements and pretty potted plants to the flower show. Plan to participate in and attend this popular event.

The hills are green from the recent rains. Hope there isn’t mud in your yard. Spring will be here soon. Save the dates April 15 and 16, 2023. Bring your “Garden Treasures” to the Fillmore Flower Show.

Ross Wollschlager, 59, Ventura County

A Ventura County Sexually Violent Predator, who is currently transient, is to be relocated in the unincorporated area of Santa Paula, CA, in March of 2023.

In February 1983, Ross Wollschlager was arrested in the city of Ventura for multiple sexual assaults. He was subsequently convicted of two felony counts of Rape. He was sentenced to 8 years’ incarceration in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). He served his sentence and was subsequently released.

In 1989, Wollschlager entered inhabited dwellings without permission. On one of these occasions, he sexually assaulted a child under the age of 14. He was convicted of one felony count of Forced Lewd Acts with a Child under the age of 14, and two felony counts of Burglary. He was sentenced to 13 1/2 years’ incarceration in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

In 1997, Wollschlager was classified as a Sexually Violent Predator. According to Welfare and Institutions Code Section 6600; “‘Sexually Violent Predator’ means a person who has been convicted of a sexually violent offense against one or more victims and who has a diagnosed mental disorder that makes the person a danger to the health and safety of others in that it is likely that he or she will engage in sexually violent criminal behavior.” The aim of the Sexually Violent Predator program is to confine and treat offenders until they no longer present a threat to society.

On 3/17/2020, the Ventura County Superior Court ordered Wollschlager to be released from confinement after the California State Hospital deemed him to no longer present a threat to society. On 3/18/2020, Wollschlager arrived in Ventura County where he registered as a transient residing in a recreational vehicle within the unincorporated areas of Ojai and Santa Paula.

The California Department of State Hospitals has identified Liberty Healthcare as the agency to oversee the Sexually Violent Predator conditional release program. Since his release, Liberty Healthcare, with assistance of the Sheriff’s Office, has searched for a suitable permanent housing location for Wollschlager. A potential residence has been located on Todd Road in the unincorporated area of Santa Paula, CA. The residence is located adjacent to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Todd Road Jail.

Wollschlager is supervised by Liberty Healthcare staff. Both Liberty Healthcare and the Sheriff’s Office will continue to conduct regular compliance checks at his residence and monitor his whereabouts via a global positioning satellite device. Since his current release, Wollschlager has not committed any criminal or technical violations.

Although Wollschlager has no criminal cases pending against him, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office feels compelled to notify the community of his relocation for the purposes of ensuring public safety. This public notification is being made pursuant to PC 290.45. Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to contact Sergeant William Hollowell of the Sheriff’s Santa Clara Valley Station at 805-524-2233. Residents of Ventura County can visit the Megan’s Law website (www.meganslaw.ca.gov) to familiarize themselves with the sex registrants in their community.

Nature of Incident: Relocation of Sexually Violent Predator
Report Number: 19-189417
Location: Unincorporated Area of Santa Paula, CA
Date & Time: March of 2023
Unit(s) Responsible: Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(P) Ross Wollschlager, Ventura County, 59
Prepared by: Sergeant Hector Macias #3633
Approved by: Captain Victor Medina

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against person(s) responsible for committing crime in our community. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

City of Fillmore

CITY OF FILLMORE
CITY COUNCIL AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY SPECIAL MEETING
SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2023
8:30 AM
CITY COUNCIL GOAL SETTING WORKSHOP
250 CENTRAL AVENUE
FILLMORE, CA 93015
AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
5. PUBLIC COMMENTS - Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.3(a) public comment
at this special meeting is limited to addressing only the subject matter of the workshop being
held on Saturday January 21,2023.
6. NEW BUSINESS - Goal Setting Session.
7. ADJOURNMENT - MAYOR MARK AUSTIN ADJOURNS TO THE REGULAR MEETING AT
6:30 P.M. ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2023, AT CITY HALL, 250, CENTRAL AVEUE,
FILLMORE, CA 93015.

Mel Phillips circa 1900 in Santa Paula by the Union Oil Building. Mel was who lived and ran a taxidermist shop across the street from Owen and would have fun stories about how Owens Chicken would end up in his yard.
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Everett Pyle.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

In the article “Early Law in Fillmore” we wrote about various early lawmen and then followed up with specific stories such as “Jack Casner, Lawman, Cattleman,” and “Crime and Punishment, Parts One and Two.”

One early lawman we mention only briefly was Owen Miller, probably the most colorful of Fillmore’s constabulary. The following is a reprint from “City of Fillmore, Golden Anniversary Year, 1914 – 1964,” published by the City of Fillmore. It’s not clear who wrote this particular portion, but we know Lawrence Hinckley at least contributed to the publication.

Owen Miller’s Pepper Tree
In the early days there were a number of pepper trees in the business block of the town. Old timers tell the following story about one of these trees.

Owen Miller ran a hotel and livery stable in the center of town and one of the largest of Fillmore’s pepper trees grew directly in front of his hostelry. After Fillmore was incorporated, the first and second Councils ordered all pepper trees in the main block of Central Avenue cut down to make way for the installation of sidewalks. Owen had the reputation of being a pretty good man with a gun, and he passed the word around that he would shoot any man who chopped down his tree. Thereupon he sat on his front porch with a gun conspicuously between his knees.

One morning Everett Pyle, a member of the City Council, walked down the street and stopped in front of the hotel. He carried an axe over his shoulder.

“Good morning, Owen,” said Everett.

“Good morning,” said Owen. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to chop down this pepper tree.”

“Chop down that tree and I’ll shoot you,” said Owen.

“I have neither chick, nor child,” replied Everett. “If you shoot me, I’ll not be missed, and you will hang for murder, and this tree will be cut down anyhow, so go ahead and shoot.

With that Everett started chopping away. Owen Miller got up, went into his hotel and didn’t come out for three days.

[Editor’s note: Here’s different version of what happened to the tree:
Owen Miller, town constable and bootlegger owned the Central Hotel, south of where Sprouse-Reitz building is now. When the City dads decided in 1917 that the pepper trees looked countrified in a business district, they ordered them cut down. The crew worked north from the railroad track until only one tree was left, that in front of Owen Miller's Hotel. Dale King tells us what happened next.

Owen liked the shade on his front porch, and out he roared with gun in hand and told the crew to get lost or he'd shoot, and he meant it. The crew took off.

A few days later Everett Pyle, Fillmore's second mayor, came by with ax in hand and told Owen he'd come to cut down the tree.

"You touch that tree and I'll kill you," roared Owen,

"Well, “said Everett calmly, "look at it this way. You shoot me and you'll go to jail and somebody else will cut down the tree."
Owen just pointed his gun, and Everett went away. You didn't argue with Owen. (The west was still a bit wild in Fillmore.)

A week or so later Owen took his pack train up to Lockwood Valley to hunt, and while he was gone, down went the tree.

Owen was furious when he came back. He put a sign on the hotel's screen door that said, "Everybody welcome here but Everett Pyle. Everett Pyle keep out!"]

Owen’s Chickens
Owen was a colorful and unpredictable character and Mel Phillips, who lived and ran a taxidermist shop across the street from him in the early days, tells this story: Owen Miller’s chickens were constantly digging up Mel’s garden and helping themselves to the berry bushes. One day he saw an old hen and thirteen chicks in his yard. He watched the chicks grow until they were fryer size. By this time his patience was at an end, so he took a string, made a loop in it, and snared himself a couple of fryers. The fryers kept coming and Mel kept snaring them and living high off fried chicken. Finally, he had captured all thirteen so to top it off he stewed the old hen. He felt sure Owen had a pretty good idea what was happening to his flock, but his neighbor said nary a word. A few days after the old hen had landed in the stew pot, Mel was visiting with Owen over near the Miller livery stable. Just then some of Owen’s chickens walked by and he said, “Mel, I have more of these blamed chickens around here than I know what to do with. You look like a man who would enjoy a good chicken dinner so catch yourself a couple of fryers and take them home with you.

That ends the stories from 1965, but as was written in “Crime and Punishment, Part Two,” Owen Miller was not just the constable and hotel owner, he was supposedly the most successful bootlegger in the area, much to the ire of the County Sherriff. Edith Jarrett wrote: “Once when the Ventura sheriff decided that Miller had gone too far, he planned to sneak in unexpectedly and administer a little punishment himself. But someone had tipped off Miller, who removed the bottles from his little hotel and buried them all in the manure pile behind his stable. The sheriff searched the place in vain. No evidence. After he had gone, Miller went out to uncover his cache. It had been a hot day, with the sun shining on the barnyard. You know what happened. Every bottle had burst from the heat. Even Miller got a good laugh out of the story when he told it himself.”

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On Tuesday, December 27th, 2022, at 6:28pm, Ventura County Fire, AMR Paramedics, and California Highway Patrol were dispatched to a single-vehicle accident on westbound SR-126 at Sycamore Road, 5-miles west of Fillmore. Arriving firefighters found a single vehicle in the center divider with front-end damage. The occupant, Crystal Sandoval, 59, of Fillmore, was reported to be trapped in a 2007 Toyota Camry and unconscious. She had been traveling eastbound on the rain-soaked highway and for unknown reasons veered into the westbound lane, colliding with a concrete divider. Firefighters were able to extricate Sandoval from the vehicle by 7:00pm. She was transported to Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) and was placed in a medically induce coma. On scene, CHP requested an evidence tow to respond to the scene; drugs/alcohol are not considered a factor in the crash. The accident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. Crystals friends have set up a GoFundMe account (www.gofundme.com/f/crystal-sandoval-car-accident-medical-expenses) to help defray her medical costs. According to the GoFundMe page, “As a result of the car accident, she has suffered swelling and bleeding of the brain, both of her ankles are broken, as well as her wrists, and a fractured pelvis. Crystal is currently in a medical induced coma to help with brain recovery where she will stay until the swelling goes down. She will need multiple surgeries once she is strong enough. The teams at VCMC are working around the clock to give her the best care possible. Crystal has a long road to recovery. With the recent loss of medical coverage our families are going to do everything we can to get her the care she needs. If you can find it in your heart to donate, anything you can give will be greatly appreciated.” The fundraiser is organized by Nicole Carroll, Erin Carroll and David Valenzuela. Photo credit Angel Esquivel-AE News.