Ventura – The corner and California Street and Thompson Blvd. in downtown Ventura is a busy place, for this is the landmark location of “The Habit” hamburger restaurant, and something of a flagship site for one of the most successful fast food enterprises with its founding roots in Santa Barbara County. With the popularity of the “Habit Burger” spreading into the city of Ventura, the downtown location just steps away from the world famous Surfer’s Point is routinely packed with hungry patrons who stand outside on the sidewalk while waiting for their burgers and fries.
Refujio Ruvalcaba
Perhaps it was that stomach-growling wait for a great hamburger—and maybe even their signature onion rings—that was just too much for 32-year old Refujio Ruvalcaba on the afternoon of February 15th when the Fillmore resident engaged in a heated verbal dispute with David Ryan, a 46-year old Oxnard citizen. Whatever his motivation, according to the Ventura Police Department’s Watch Commander’s report to the media, Ruvalcaba’s dialogue with Ryan escalated to the point that he was “using derogatory language and disturbing customers sitting outside of the Habit restaurant.”
Apparently words were not enough for Ruvalcaba, who summarily flipped a folding knife from his pocket and “brandished the knife in a threatening manner” toward Ryan. Rather than test Ruvalcaba’s sincerity or knife-fighting skills, Ryan wisely entered the restaurant and promptly called 911 Emergency to inform them that there was a problem on the premises having nothing to do with the crispiness of the fries.
While Ryan was making his call for law enforcement assistance, Ruvalcaba departed the premises, but was soon thereafter detained by responding officers just two blocks away, at Main & Chestnut, near the Majestic Ventura Theater. Upon verification of his identity as the suspect, Ruvalcaba was arrested and transported to Ventura County Jail where he was booked on charged of brandishing a weapon.
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