Roundup: Youths charged in woman's assault, driver to stand trial in death of teen, more
Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:
Youths charged over attack of homeless woman
Two teenagers have been charged in juvenile court in connection with the assault of a homeless woman in Ventura, the county District Attorney's Office announced late last week.
The youths, ages 13 and 14, both of Ventura, allegedly attacked the 66-year-old woman on June 14 while she was lying on the sidewalk in a sleeping bag under the Highway 33 underpass. They are accused of kicking the woman multiple times in the head and upper torso.
Each youth is charged with assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, conspiracy to commit a crime, and elder or dependent adult abuse.
They were part of a group of four minors riding electric bikes who approached the woman, according to Joey Buttitta, a spokesman for the DA's office.
Their cases have been referred to the Ventura County Probation Agency for a recommendation on sentencing. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed, according to the DA's office.
The next hearing is scheduled July 10. Both minors are being held at the juvenile facilities complex in Oxnard.
Man ordered to stand trial in death of Oxnard teen
A judge has found enough evidence to order an Oxnard man to stand trial in the death of a teenager.
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Ryan Wright made the ruling early last week following a preliminary hearing for Samuel Rocha. The defendant was arrested in April 2021 in connection with the death of Pedro Valdez, 16, who was riding his bicycle with a group of friends when Rocha allegedly ran into him with his car.
The crash occurred near the intersection of Ventura and Pleasant Valley roads in Port Hueneme.
Police said at the time that Rocha was driving a sedan northbound on Ventura Road when he struck Valdez and two other cyclists. Valdez later died and the other two cyclists suffered significant injuries.
Rocha was deemed incompetent to stand trial in 2022, but has since been deemed competent.
Rocha, 31, was charged with murder and attempted murder. He is being held in Todd Road Jail outside Santa Paula and is not eligible for release, according to jail records.
10 pounds of meth seized after traffic stop in Oxnard
Police seized suspected methamphetamine packaged for sale with an estimated street value of more than $10,000 last week in Oxnard, officials said.
Officers said they found the 10 pounds of drugs after stopping a vehicle driven by a Bell Gardens man suspected of violating vehicle laws. The 27-year-old man was booked into county jail where he remained Wednesday in lieu of $50,000 bond.
He was stopped about 9 p.m. on June 27 in the 2000 block of Solar Drive. The location is on the southeast side of Oxnard, at the intersection of Highway 101 and Highway 1.
The man was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of felonies tied to sale of controlled substances.
He is due in court July 11.
Anyone with information about the incident may contact the Oxnard Police Department at 805-385-7600. Members of the public may also contact the department by visiting its website, www.oxnardpd.org, and clicking on “Report Suspicious Activity.”
These items may be updated.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: Youths charged in woman's assault, driver to stand trial
