Stop Sign Stops Fleeing Felon
Oxnard – Just a half hour into the new day of August 1st, Oxnard Police Department Dispatch received a 911 Emergency call alerting law enforcement to the activities of Ricardo Ramirez, 29, who was reported to have been in possession of a loaded firearm in the Pleasant Valley Road area. Ramirez was reported to have been behind the wheel of a black pickup truck at the time, with a partial license plate description of “11”.
Wooley and Telstar
With the objective of keeping the neighborhood pleasant in the wee hours, Oxnard Police units arrived on the scene and quickly began a perimeter search of the area. It was at this time, according to Oxnard PD spokesman Sgt. Alex Arnett, that Police Dispatch alerted the officers on scene to the fact that a records check established Ramirez as “wanted on a felony warrant and was to be considered armed and dangerous.”
While perusing the Pleasant Valley Road area, officers spotted a black Toyota Tacoma pickup truck cross a residential intersection right in front of them at a speed of approximately 40 mph, in excess of the posted speed limit. Officers announced their presence with sirens and flashing red lights, but the Toyota made no indication that it was heeding their attempts to bring it to halt, and a vehicular chase lasting 18 minutes and covering nearly 15 miles ensued.
The driver of the pickup truck, undoubtedly not a match for the driving skills of the pursuing officers, eventually crashed the truck into a stop sign at the corner of Wooley Road and Telstar Drive, whereupon Ramirez quickly alighted from the vehicle’s passenger door and continued his flight on foot. With officers in pursuit, Ramirez then gained forced entry into a nearby home, only to be brought quickly into custody and placed under arrest.
The driver of the pickup truck, Jose Ochoa, 24, was taken into custody at the crash site and found to be in possession of a stolen firearm.
Both Ramirez and Ochoa were booked into Ventura County Jail on parole violations, weapons charges, resisting arrest, and numerous misdemeanor motor vehicle violations.
Read more:
VCStar: Police Arrest 2 Men in Oxnard After Chase
Oxnard PD: News Release
