Roundup: Exploding taco van blocked Highway 101, auto theft blitz in Oxnard, more news

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

Taco van explosion blocks Highway 101

CONEJO VALLEY — A taco van's mechanical troubles while heading up the Conejo Grade early Sunday led to a spectacular set of explosions that closed southbound Highway 101 for a time, officials said.

Propane tanks in the van exploded after the vehicle had rolled backward downhill, traveling the wrong way across freeway lanes. No one was injured.

The van had pulled over onto the southbound right shoulder south of Camarillo Springs Road around 12:40 a.m. after experiencing a mechanical issue, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP's initial investigation indicates a fire started after the van pulled over, which released the brakes, said Officer Ryan Ayers of the CHP's Moorpark office. The driver had gotten out before the van started rolling backward down the grade.

The taco van crossed all southbound lanes and crashed into the center median wall.

As the vehicle fire spread, the heat set off several propane tanks used as cooking fuel to make tacos. The exploding tanks ripped through the van's roof and sides, officials said.

The southbound freeway was closed for a time, with all lanes reopening shortly before 2:10 a.m., Ayers said. Northbound lanes were shut briefly.

The van fire was difficult to extinguish, Ayers said, because the engine compartment kept reigniting. An engine "doesn't like water," he said, noting vehicle fires in general are tough to put out.

In a social media post, CHP officials reminded motorists to stay alert while traveling at night or around curves, noting the incident could have had a tragic outcome if other drivers weren't paying attention as the van lumbered out of control across the freeway.

The agency's post also mentioned damages: "The van and all tacos inside were completely destroyed."

Body found in Port of Hueneme

PORT HUENEME — Ventura County Sheriff's officials were investigating a body found floating face down in the water at the Port of Hueneme harbor late Tuesday afternoon.

The incident was reported shortly before 5 p.m., according to Ventura County Fire Department reports.

Sheriff's investigators were summoned around 6:15 p.m.

As of 8 p.m., investigators had found no evidence of a crime, said sheriff's Capt. Steve Michalec. The victim was a male, he said.

Vehicle thefts hit Oxnard, Port Hueneme

OXNARD — Three vehicle thefts in Oxnard early Tuesday — all targeting large, older models — have police searching for a crew in a distinctive vehicle.

The incidents follow a string of similar thefts in Port Hueneme over the weekend, although officials didn't know whether the thefts were linked.

Oxnard Police Department Cpl. Enrique Alvarez said a Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford F-250 and a Toyota Tundra were stolen in the early morning hours. The vehicles were from 2002 to 2010 and may have been stolen for their catalytic converters, he said.

In two of the cases, video surveillance images showed a white vehicle that appeared to be a Ford van conversion with a modified school bus as the rear portion. A suspect can be seen getting dropped off next to a vehicle before it is stolen, Alvarez said.

As of midday Tuesday, no information was available about the suspects, he said.

In Port Hueneme, three large vehicles were stolen over the weekend, said Scott Matalon, a spokesman for the Port Hueneme Police Department. Two of the three were white Ford pickup trucks used as work trucks, he said. A third truck was a Chevrolet S-10 pickup. The trucks from from 2000 to 2007.

The suspect vehicle also appeared to be a white Ford work truck, he said.

One of the stolen trucks has since been recovered in Los Angeles, Matalon said.

Escaped inmate arrested

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — Sheriff's officials in Santa Barbara County found and arrested an inmate who had escaped from jail Sunday evening.

The escape had prompted Santa Barbara County Sheriff's officials to seek the public's help finding the man, a 23-year-old from Santa Maria.

On Monday night, a woman suspected of being an accomplice was arrested in Santa Maria, with the suspect ultimately found in a San Luis Obispo motel room around 10:30 p.m., officials said. He was booked into jail with bail set at nearly $1.4 million.

Items will be updated if new information becomes available.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Roundup: Exploding taco van blocked Hwy 101, auto theft blitz, more