Ventura Police Department – Incident Press Release
On 5/5/20 at about 6 PM the Ventura Police Command Center received a 911 call of a possible sexual assault that occurred in California State Parks property north of the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
Patrol officers responded and located the victim and suspect on the bike path adjacent to the fairgrounds. The suspect was unconscious in a pull wagon. Due to the seriousness of the crime and complexities involved the Ventura Police Department handled the investigation with the assistance of the California State Parks Police.
During the course of the investigation it was learned that the victim was walking on the bike path with her dog when she decided to walk on the beach heading towards Emma Wood State Beach. As she began her walk on the beach, she noticed the suspect following her at a distance.
The victim let her dog off leash while she was on the beach and her dog fled into the brush area. As she went into the brush area to find her dog the suspect went with her and sexually assaulted her. The victim began to scream, and the suspect, Jose Mendez (11-26-88) Ventura Resident, ran away.
Several individuals in the river bottom heard the commotion and learned that the victim may have been sexually assaulted. The group chased after the suspect and began to assault him. The suspect was knocked unconscious and was put into a pull wagon and taken to the bike path where he was left. The victim returned to the bike path, identified the suspect, and stood by awaiting police arrival.
The suspect was transported by AMR ambulance to the Ventura County Medical Center where he was remains in the hospital due to his injuries.
This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information about this incident is requested to contact Sergeant Dolan at 805-339-4444.
In a pull wagon!! Hauling a load of cr–!! LOL !!