Pursuit Investigation 

September 24, 2024 – Ventura County Sheriff's Office officials report that a vehicle led a Sheriff’s Sergeant on a high-speed vehicle pursuit in the city of Camarillo resulting in a major solo vehicle collision on the US-101 freeway at Carmen Drive.  As a result of the collision, the driver and passenger sustained injuries. The collision, and investigation that followed, caused the closure of the northbound US-101 Freeway at Carmen Drive throughout the morning hours.

On September 21, 2024, at about 11:42 P.M., deputies in Camarillo were investigating a theft of alcohol and additional products, which had just occurred at CVS, located in the 300 block of Carmen Drive.  At about 12:02 A.M., on September 22, 2024, a Sheriff’s Sergeant located a vehicle resembling the suspect’s vehicle driving on Arneill Road at Barry Street. The vehicle was also driving with no headlights illuminated during darkness in violation of California Vehicle Code 24250.

A traffic enforcement stop was initiated on the vehicle; however, the vehicle did not initially yield.  The Sheriff’s Sergeant further suspected the driver was possibly driving under the influence based on driving with no headlights and not initially yielding. The vehicle briefly yielded on Barry Street at Lewis Road, before fleeing the area at a high rate of speed causing the initiation of a vehicle pursuit.

The Sheriff’s Sergeant pursued the suspect vehicle with his emergency lights and sirens activated.  The pursuit continued onto southbound Lewis Road and again onto westbound Daily Drive, before the suspect vehicle entered the US-101 northbound freeway.

During the vehicle pursuit, the suspect vehicle drove at a high rate of speed on the freeway to avoid apprehension.  The driver lost control of the suspect vehicle north of Carmen Drive and collided with the center median guard rail.  The collision caused the vehicle to flip and roll several times. The suspect vehicle was the only vehicle involved in the collision.

One passenger climbed out of the vehicle and surrendered to the deputies on scene.  The driver of the vehicle was ejected from the vehicle and sustained critical injuries. Both the driver and passenger were identified as 17-year-old, male juveniles.

Both injured subjects were immediately provided medical aid by deputies prior to the arrival of the Ventura County Fire Department and AMR.  Both subjects were transported to the Ventura County Medical Center. The passenger was treated for his injuries and released. The driver was later transported to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where he remains in critical condition.

The collision occurred in the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol.  Investigators from the California Highway Patrol responded to assist with investigating the collision. The freeway remained closed for the duration of the investigation and reopened prior to 6:00 A.M. The collision investigation is also on-going.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or possesses any information is asked to come forward to assist in the ongoing investigation.  Witnesses are encouraged to contact Detective Riordan of the Camarillo Investigations Unit at the below listed number.

Source: Ventura County Sheriff's Office