Ventura County seeks $350K from driver who fatally struck Supervisor Carmen Ramirez

Kathleen Wilson, Ventura County Star
Updated ·2 min read
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Antonio Delgado, owner of Four Elements Crystal Shop in downtown Oxnard, pays respects to Carmen Ramirez at a sidewalk memorial the day after she was killed crossing a street in August.
Antonio Delgado, owner of Four Elements Crystal Shop in downtown Oxnard, pays respects to Carmen Ramirez at a sidewalk memorial the day after she was killed crossing a street in August.

The driver of the truck that struck and killed former Supervisor Carmen Ramirez last summer has been sued by the Ventura County government for an estimated $350,000.

In the lawsuit filed late last month, the county seeks the money for burial expenses, beneficiaries' death benefits and other costs paid through a self-funded workers compensation program for injuries and deaths on the job. It's possible that other unknown defendants will also be named during the course of the litigation, according to the suit.

It is not unusual to try to recoup such payments from the party at fault, county Human Resources Director Shawn Atin said Wednesday.

"It's a matter of the regular course of business," he said.

Stop signs stand at all four corners of the downtown Oxnard intersection where Supervisor Carmen Ramirez was fatally struck by a truck at A and Seventh streets in August.
Stop signs stand at all four corners of the downtown Oxnard intersection where Supervisor Carmen Ramirez was fatally struck by a truck at A and Seventh streets in August.

Ramirez was killed Aug. 12 when a large pickup truck hit her while she was walking in a marked crosswalk at the intersection of Seventh and A streets in downtown Oxnard. She was on her way to a concert and had been invited as a dignitary.

The driver reported that the sun was in his eyes and he did not see her. He stopped at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The death was ruled an accident.

The Oxnard Police Department is still investigating the incident and has not decided if the driver should be cited or possibly arrested, Cmdr. Edgar Fernandez said Wednesday. It's unclear when the probe will end.

Carmen Ramirez in 2015, then an Oxnard City Council member, speaks during a meeting against fracking.
Carmen Ramirez in 2015, then an Oxnard City Council member, speaks during a meeting against fracking.

The lawsuit claims the driver and other potential defendants were "negligent" and "careless," causing Ramirez's death and spurring the need to pay costs from the county's workers compensation fund. The money comes from county departments that are charged based on their use of the fund.

Atin said county officials don't know whether the man was driving during the course of his employment and that he does not appear to be insured.

The government sued to preserve its legal options because a lawsuit must be filed within two years, Atin said.

The Star has not identified the driver because he has not been arrested or charged with criminal wrongdoing.

The man does not have an attorney, according to court records.

Kathleen Wilson covers courts, crime and local government issues for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at kathleen.wilson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0271.

This story may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Carmen Ramirez's employer sues driver who killed the supervisor