Crime Spree Ends with Capture
VENTURA — For the past several days, Ventura law enforcement has been frustrated in their attempts to bring to an end an episode that some describe as a “crime spree” throughout the county.
Donald Kelly
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s spokesman Todd Welty’s report to the media, on thenight of July 9th, three vehicles were stolen from a popular Volkswagen dealership in downtown Ventura. The following morning, July 10th, one of the stolen vehicles was spotted at another auto dealership during the commission of another burglary by VCSD patrol deputies who attempted to conduct a traffic stop and quickly found themselves engaged in a high-speed pursuit through a heavily trafficked area of the City of Ventura. That pursuit was suspended in the interest of public safety, but that same afternoon, one of the stolen vehicles was found ablaze in Saticoy, just east of the Ventura.
All was quiet for the next 24 hours…
Until, on the afternoon of July 11th, another of the stolen vehicles was seen in Thousand Oaks, which instigated yet another vehicular pursuit ending with the suspect crashing his getaway car and then fleeing on foot through a nearby residential neighborhood. A wide perimeter of law enforcement resources was quickly established, including the use of helicopter and K-9 units, yet the suspect was not located at that time. Shortly thereafter, according to Aguilar, the suspect “is alleged to have broken into a house” in Thousand Oaks, whereupon he carjacked the resident’s Lexus SUV and drove off on yet another escape.
But with a description of the Lexus SUV broadcast over law enforcement airwaves, VCSD patrol units soon located the vehicle parked in an area medical center parking lot and the chase was on. Apparently lacking sufficient driving skills to match those of pursuing Deputies, the SUV proceeded for approximately eight miles through the wide, winding streets of Thousand Oaks, traveled at speeds upwards of 80 mph, collided with a number of vehicles and then “veered off the roadway and collided with a large rock.” The suspect, Donald Anthony Kelly, 31, made an attempt to flee on foot, but was promptly apprehended and taken into custody.
Kelly was then booked into Ventura County Jail on charges of residential burglary, home invasion robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, felony evading, and hit-and-run, with his bail set at $2,000,000.
Read more:
CBS Los Angeles: Transient Accused Of Carjacking Woman At Newbury Park Home
Ventura County Sheriff’s Office press release (via Nixle)
