At approximately 4:37 P.M. the California Highway Patrol received a MAYDAY call of an aircraft that was down on SR 23 freeway southbound south of Tierra Rejada Road. Responding units came upon a small aircraft that was located in the number 2 and 3 lanes of the freeway. The pilot /instructor and flight student were standing outside the aircraft. The pilot informed officers he was having engine trouble and was unable to make it to the Camarillo airport. The pilot was able to land the plane safely on the freeway without hitting any vehicles or being struck by passing traffic. There were no injuries to the pilot and student. Officers assisted the pilot in pushing the downed aircraft into the center divider to clear the roadway. The Ventura County Fire Department and Ventura County Sheriff also responded to the scene. The FAA and NTSB were notified. The aircraft was originally out of the Van Nuys airport.

American Red Cross of Ventura County

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to make a lifesaving commitment to donate blood to help ensure a sufficient blood supply in the new year, beginning in January with National Blood Donor Month.

Britton Lund made her first blood donation as a high school student. Though it was easy and she knew her type O negative blood was in high demand, she only gave sporadically over the next 10 years. Then, her sister was diagnosed with brain cancer, motivating Lund to become a regular donor. “I will continue to give until they tell me I can’t anymore,” she said. “It is a quick, easy way to make a difference.”

National Blood Donor Month highlights the importance of volunteer blood and platelet donors like Lund and their impact on patient healthcare. National Blood Donor Month has been observed in January since 1970 with the goal of increasing blood and platelet donations during winter – one of the most difficult times of year to collect enough blood products to meet patient needs. Severe winter weather may result in canceled blood drives, and seasonal illnesses, like the flu, can cause donors to be temporarily unable to give.

Blood donors of all types are needed to maintain a sufficient supply. Eligible donors with types O, B negative and A negative blood are encouraged to donate double red cells where available. During a double red cell donation, two units of red cells are collected while most of the plasma and platelets are returned to the donor.

To make an appointment to donate blood, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

American Red Cross Woodland Hills Donation Center
6338 Variel Ave.
Woodland Hills, Calif. 91367

Monday and Tuesday: 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Saturday: 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Additional blood donation opportunities:

Camarillo
1/18/2016: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., YMCA, 3111 Village at the Park Dr
1/19/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Ventura County Star, 550 Camarillo Center Dr
1/27/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Santa Cruz Village, 1 University Drive
1/28/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Santa Cruz Village, 1 University Drive

Oak Park
1/25/2016: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., Stevenson Fitness, 706 Lindero Canyon Rd

Simi Valley
1/16/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Rancho Santa Suzanna Community Center, 5005-C Los Angeles Ave
1/20/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, 40 Presidential Drive
1/29/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Rancho Santa Suzanna Community Center, 5005-C Los Angeles Ave

Thousand Oaks
1/20/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
1/25/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
1/27/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd

Ventura
1/19/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Ventura Cnty Deputy Sheriffs Assn, 981 South Victoria Ave
1/19/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli Street
1/20/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., El Camino High School, 61 Day Rd
1/26/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road

Westlake Village
1/31/2016: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., St Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church, 5801 Kanan Road

How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

The City of Fillmore today is mourning the passing of Fire Chief and Assistant City Manager Rigo Landeros who passed away unexpectedly on Thursday evening, January 7th, Chief Landeros was widely known and respected throughout Fillmore and the County of Ventura as an energetic and forward thinking public official who was always upbeat with a love of family, community and public service. He was instrumental in helping Fillmore work its way through the recent recessionary period and return the City’s financial picture to full solvency.

Rigo was a friend to us all and his death is a shock to so many in our community” said Mayor Diane McCall. “Our Council all knew Rigo personally and professionally and Rigo’s City family is truly in mourning today”.

Chief Landeros started with the Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter in 1998 and was appointed Fire Chief in May 2009. He served as the Acting Public Works Director since January 2010. Chief Landeros was appointed Interim City Manager in August of 2012 and led the City until the hiring of City Manager David Rowlands. In November 2013 Chief Landeros was permanently promoted to Assistant City Manager and also continued his roles as Acting Public Works Director and Fire Chief. Prior to his tenure with the City, Chief Landeros had achieved a highly respected status in the private sector as an executive with Gelson’s Markets.

“Rigo was a true partner in the administration of our City” noted City Manager David Rowlands. ‘He was a true leader of our Fire Department, and on a personal level a great husband, father and friend. He will be greatly missed by myself and all who knew him”.

The Landeros family and the City will not be releasing any further information on the specific cause of death and the family has requested that their privacy be respected at this time.

A Meal Train has been established for The Landeros family https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/g0krne

Landeros Family Benefit Fund https://www.gofundme.com/krd8tras

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Brandon Leon, 30 of Fillmore, has surrendered himself to the California Highway Patrol. Leon was arrested for felony hit and run and gross vehicular manslaughter in the Monday, December 27th crash that took the life a 57year-old Maria Rodriguez Medina of Santa Paula. Leon had fled the scene of the accident before authorities arrived. The collision took place around 8:25pm on Telegraph Road at 7th Street, west of Fillmore. Authorities say Leon stopped at the stop sign on southbound 7th Street, then apparently proceeded into the intersection and into the path of the 1990 Nissan Axxess, traveling westbound on Old Telegraph Road. The Nissan crashed into the left side of Leon’s 2006 Chevrolet Silverado, causing major damage to both vehicles. Leon fled the scene on foot but surrendeered to the CHP at 1:35pm Tuesday. Medina’s husband was also injured in the crash.

Most people start the New Year with goals, and the Fillmore City Council is doing exactly that. The first Council meeting of 2016 was a special meeting to address the goals that have been completed and those it wants accomplished.

Back in April 3, 2013 Bill Herrera conducted a Town Hall Meeting held at City Hall that was the beginning of a number of Goal Setting Workshop's with the objective of setting priorities and goals for Fillmore, both immediate and long-standing.

At that time there were a number of changes to the council itself, as new members arrived and old members changed their direction or resigned. The issues of the tax monies being withheld by the Board of Equalization was a big issue along with the need for a new City Manager and a new Finance Director; all of which have now been resolved.

The residual affect of the recession and staff hours cut to the bare-bones only added to the difficult issues City Hall was facing. Problems such as record retention and staff identifying what records they did have, the need for reports to be efficient and concise, and not enough staff to function full time were high hurdles. Many of those problems have been addressed and put in order.

Council Member Douglas CONTINUED »

A pedestrian was struck and killed on Highway 126 Sunday, December 27th. The accident happened at 5:20pm near the Sespe Creek Bridge, west of Fillmore. According to the CHP Maria Velasquez, 45, ran across the busy highway from the north side and was struck by a car traveling eastbound. Velasquez, a transient, was taken to VCMC where she was pronounced dead.

Francis Casillas

Traffic collisions, especially around the holidays, are traumatic events that can often be avoided. In the past four days, the California Highway Patrol has investigated two fatal traffic collisions just outside the city of Fillmore, and at about 12:25am, December 30th, the Fillmore Police Department responded to a single-vehicle collision in the area of Ventura St. and D St., Fillmore. They found that Francis Casillas, 21 of Oxnard, had been driving at a high rate of speed, westbound on Ventura St., when she lost control of her vehicle and collided with a power pole. They determined she had been driving under the influence of alcohol, arrested her for 23152(a) VC – DUI, and booked her into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility. Southern California Edison responded to replace the power pole, which was sheared off in the collision, and the immediate area suffered a power outage for several hours. The Fillmore Police Department encourages all motorists to avoid driving while under the influence of alcohol this holiday season. Prepared by: Sergeant Kevin Vaden.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Fires are universally feared for their destructive and unpredictable nature and can destroy entire neighborhoods if not controlled. On Wednesday, September 30, 2015, just before midnight, deputies from the Thousand Oaks Police Department responded to an alarm call at the Planned Parenthood office. Deputies discovered a fire had been set inside the building. Members of the Ventura County Fire Department responded and quickly extinguished the fire. Much of the first floor of the business sustained significant water damage from the building’s overhead fire sprinkler system; which played a significant part in putting out the fire.

Investigators from Ventura County Sheriff’s Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, along with Arson Investigators from the Ventura County Fire Department began an investigation. Detectives from the Major Crimes Bureau obtained information which led them to Oxnard resident Alvaro Perez as a suspect in the arson. Through various investigative methods and techniques, detectives developed overwhelming evidence that Perez had carried out the arson at Planned Parenthood. On Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, Major Crimes Detectives arrested Perez for the Planned Parenthood arson.

Perez is currently an inmate at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility / Main jail on other cases wherein he is suspected of committing the following criminal acts: battery, vandalism, violation of a domestic restraining order, domestic-spousal battery and possession of a firearm. His bail for the arson arrest is $50,000; however, Perez has several open cases, one of which he is currently awaiting sentencing on and there is no bail associated with it.

Under California Penal Code Section 451 P.C., maliciously setting a fire is a serious felony that can result in a lengthy prison sentence. Arson is the crime of intentionally, deliberately and maliciously setting fire to buildings, wild land areas, dumpsters, vehicles or other property with the intent to cause damage.

In California, a conviction for arson of property that is not your own is a felony punishable by up to three years in state prison. Aggravated arson, which carries the most severe punishment for arson, is punishable by 10 years to life in state prison.

Throughout the investigation, detectives from the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau maintained constant communication and sustained collaborative efforts with the FBI, U.S. Marshalls Office, as well as Homeland Security.

Investigators are confident that the criminal acts perpetrated against Planned Parenthood by Perez stemmed from an on-going domestic feud and at no point fell into the category of extremism.

Nature of Incident: Arrest of Planned Parenthood Arson Suspect
Report Number: 15-2044743
Location: 122 W. Hillcrest Dr. Thousand Oaks, CA
Date & Time: 9/30/15 11:22 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau; East County Patrol Services; East County Investigations; Ventura County Fire Department
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
Alvaro Perez Oxnard 24
Prepared by: Sergeant Dean Worthy / Major Crimes Bureau
News Release Date: Jan. 5, 2016
Media Follow-Up Contact: Sergeant Dean Worthy, 805-384-4730, dean.worthy@ventura.org
Approved by: Captain Melissa Smith / Major Crimes Bureau

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).