On Friday, March 29th, at approximately 4:44 p.m., officers from the Oxnard Special Enforcement Unit (Gang Unit) responded to a call for service in the area of Maulhardt Rd. and Ranchita Ln. reference possible gang members in possession of handguns. The caller also mentioned that they believed the gang members were under the influence of alcohol and or drugs. The officers observed the suspected gang members leave in a vehicle and attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle as it traveled west on Pleasant Valley Rd. from Dodge Rd. The driver, later identified as Abigail Guerrero, failed to yield and a pursuit ensued. The pursuit came to a conclusion at Pleasant Valley Rd. at Rice Ave. in Oxnard, as there was heavy traffic and Guerrero was blocked in.
The right front passenger, identified as Victor Ortiz, 19-year-old Oxnard resident, quickly exited the vehicle and discarded a handgun while attempting to flee on foot. Ortiz was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. The handgun was recovered and determined to be a loaded 9-millimeter, Glock, semi-automatic handgun. Ortiz, a documented criminal street gang member, was charged with felony firearms possession. Ortiz is on felony pretrial release from a previous firearm arrest from January 2024.
The driver and three additional passengers were removed from the vehicle. There was also a 1-year-old infant, sitting in a child seat that was not secured to the vehicle. There were several open alcoholic beverage containers in the vehicle and several loose deflated balloons in the vehicle. There was a loose deflated balloon in the infant seat next to the 1-year-old’s leg. Officers suspected that the balloons were used for inhaling hallucinogens. A 14-year-old juvenile passenger admitted possessing the handgun that was tossed from the vehicle. The juvenile was also charged with possession of the firearm. The 14-year-old also has a prior firearm arrest from January of 2024.
The driver, Abigail Guerrero, 19-year-old Oxnard resident, was charged with evading and child endangerment. Abigail is the 1-year-old’s aunt. The 1-year-old’s mother, Julissa Guerrero, 21-year-old Oxnard resident, was also a passenger in the vehicle. Julissa was also arrested for child endangerment.