Pedestrian killed in Simi Valley, more news

Here is a summary of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County authorities:

Pedestrian killed in Simi

An 81-year-old Simi Valley man was killed while crossing a street Tuesday night, authorities said.

The incident was reported shortly after 5:20 p.m. at the intersection of Ulysses Street and Socrates Avenue, Simi Valley police said in a news release Wednesday. The intersection is near Arroyo Elementary School, northeast of East Los Angeles Avenue and Madera Road.

The pedestrian, identified by police as Leopoldo Barajas, was apparently crossing northbound Ulysses in the marked crosswalk when he was struck by a white BMW SUV turning left from Socrates onto Ulysses, police said.

He was taken by ambulance to a trauma center where he succumbed to his injuries, authorities said.

Neither party appeared to be impaired. The driver remained at the scene of the accident.

Anyone with information or video of the incident is asked to contact Officer Matthew Cartwright at 805-583-6950 or [email protected].

Hit-and-run suspect who allegedly killed a dog arrested

Sheriff’s authorities said they arrested a man suspected of being involved in two hit-and-run accidents on June 8.

The first crash, which injured occupants of the victims’ vehicle, was reported around 9:45 p.m. in Moorpark at the intersection of Highway 118 and Tierra Rejada Road, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. The agency is contracted to provide police services in Moorpark.

The suspect’s car, a Ford Explorer, was traveling north on Tierra Rejada when it ran a red light and struck a Honda Odyssey minivan traveling west on the highway, which is also known as Los Angeles Avenue. The driver of the Explorer fled the scene, officials said. The people in the minivan were treated at a local hospital.

As patrol officers searched for the Ford Explorer, they were flagged down by a resident in the 100 block of Second Street. The resident said a Ford Explorer struck her dog and fled. The dog’s owner took the animal to a veterinarian, but the dog died. The resident’s description of the vehicle matched that of the other hit-and-run victim.

Officers later found the Explorer unoccupied in the 200 block of Ruth Avenue. The vehicle had damage consistent with the circumstances of the collision with the Honda minivan. The Explorer was towed to collect evidence. Officers found information inside that identified the suspected driver as a 29-year-old Moorpark man.

The suspect was arrested Friday on suspicion of hit and run. He was taken to the county jail and later released on bail, jail records show. His court hearing is scheduled for June 28.

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call Moorpark Deputy Andrew Van Gundy at 805-532-2700.

Man pleads guilty in sex offense case

The 24-year-old defendant in a 2022 sex crime case that initially involved 45 felony and misdemeanor charges has pleaded guilty to four counts.

Devon Alec Joelson changed his guilty plea Monday as part of a plea agreement, according to Ventura County Superior Court records. The guilty pleas include three counts of enticement and one count of arranging a meeting place for the purpose of exposure, court records show.

Authorities had accused the Thousand Oaks resident of committing crimes against underage girls. He allegedly solicited teenagers to send them child sexual abuse material via social media and reportedly lured one or more of them to meet him at a park.

Related Posts

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice is under investigation for assaulting a photographer

Venice resident known for his volunteer work in garbage removal is brutally attacked

Six months after the death of the three men, questions remain unanswered