Roundup: Dash of rain and snow on tap, arrest in Oxnard double-fatal crash, more

Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:

Storm going out with possible bang

The tail end of a storm moving through Ventura County Wednesday night could bring a few more showers, mountain snow, the possibility of thunderstorms and even a weak tornado overnight.

An upper-level low pressure system associated with a storm that passed through Tuesday and Wednesday was moving down the coast toward Ventura County as of 8 p.m. Wednesday, said Joe Sirard, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. Local shower activity had already increased, he said.

The incoming system will create the right conditions for the possibility of thunderstorms, hail, waterspouts over coastal waters and weak tornado activity, he said.

A weak tornado ripped metal roofs off mobile homes and caused other damage at Carpinteria's Sandpiper Village on March 21, the weather service determined, while a stronger tornado on March 22 damaged industrial buildings in Montebello in Los Angeles County.

Intermittent bursts of showers and a chance of thunderstorms could last into Thursday morning.

In the mountains, snow levels could dip to 3,500 feet, Sirard said, with accumulations in some areas as much as 6-8 inches. That could impact travel in mountain areas, including over the Grapevine section of Interstate 5.

After precipitation dries up Thursday, temperatures will remain a little cooler than usual. Forecasters expect dry weather through next Wednesday, Sirard said, although there's a chance a weak system could bring rain Monday.

Driver arrested in fatal Oxnard crash

Oxnard police on Wednesday announced an arrest in a February crash that killed two people.

The Feb. 12 incident occurred shortly after midnight at Fifth Street and Portofino Place and involved two vehicles.

The two who died had been in a 2020 Honda Civic that Oxnard Police Department officials have said was traveling westbound on Fifth. The driver, Lancaster resident Samuel Jose Castro, 31, died at the scene. His passenger, Annette Viviana, 44, of Adelanto, died at Ventura County Medical Center. Authorities previously identified her as Annette Gomez.

The other driver, a 19-year-old Oxnard man, had been in a Hyundai Sonata headed in the same direction when the vehicles collided.

Police said the teen driver, who was unhurt, had stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. He was initially interviewed and released pending further investigation.

On Wednesday, the department said its initial review indicated speed and reckless driving were contributing factors. After investigating the accident for more than a month, they arrested the 19-year-old on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter.

The driver had not been charged by prosecutors as of Wednesday night, records showed. The Star generally does not name suspects until they have been formally charged by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

The driver was booked into county jail after his arrest.

Crash after pursuit under investigation

A vehicle pursuit after a reported carjacking in Oxnard Wednesday night ended in a crash near Fifth Street and Rose Avenue with multiple people detained, authorities said.

The carjacking, which involved a firearm, was reported around 7:40 p.m. in the 200 block of Everest Street, Oxnard Police Department officials said. The street is in a residential area east of Rose Avenue and south of Camino Del Sol.

A broadcast description of the stolen vehicle led patrol officers to spot it on the move near Rose and Emerson avenues, south of Wooley Road.

When the driver didn't pull over, a pursuit launched, lasting roughly 2 minutes, according to police.

The vehicle crashed near Fifth and Rose. Ventura County Fire Department and ambulance crews were dispatched around 8 p.m.

Police Cmdr. Rocky Marquez said Wednesday night initial reports from the scene indicated the suspect vehicle had hit other cars and crashed into a fence.

Radio traffic from the accident scene indicated diesel fuel may have spilled.

Several adult and juvenile males in the vehicle were detained and a loaded handgun was recovered, the department said in a release early Thursday. No additional information was immediately available concerning any arrests.

Anyone with information about the ongoing investigation is asked to call Detective Roger Ramirez at 805-288-3289.

Items may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: Rain and snow overnight, arrest in double-fatal crash