Three Santa Paula men were arrested Wednesday by Ventura Police on various charges after they were detained when an officer followed a stolen vehicle.
According to a Ventura Police statement, the incident occurred August 8 at about 11:50 a.m. when an officer observed a stolen silver Isuzu Rodeo traveling south on Victoria Avenue with three males inside. When the vehicle turned right onto Moon Drive, the officer drove in behind the vehicle and attempted an enforcement stop.
The driver of the stolen vehicle, Mark Gonzalez, 24, briefly pulled over to the right and opened the driver’s side door, but as the officer attempted to make contact with the occupants Gonzalez drove away. As he left the scene Gonzalez left the driver’s side door open, and he drove west on Moon Drive “for a short distance before turning into the Jack in the Box parking lot.”
The statement noted Gonzalez “abruptly stopped the vehicle and fled on foot from officers,” running north through the Chase Bank lot, across Moon Drive and into the Victorian Mobile Home Park. Pursuing officers caught up with Gonzalez in the mobile home park and took him into custody. Gonzalez was placed under arrest for suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, resisting arrest, and outstanding warrants.
Two additional occupants of the Isuzu Rodeo, Aaron Morua, 25, and Juan Arias, 22, were also arrested at the scene. Morua was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a concealed weapon, and after a check by police it was determined that Arias had outstanding warrants.
All three were later booked into the Ventura County Jail.
