CITY OF OJAI
POLICE DEPARTMENT
NEWS STORY
www.VCSD.org
Nature of Incident: Three suspects arrested on charges resulting from an assault on juveniles.
Report Number: 18-48931
Location: Various locations in the Ojai Valley
Date & Time: 03/17/2018 - 03/29/2018
Unit(s) Responsible: Ojai Police Department, Ojai Investigations Unit,
Ventura County Sheriff’s Gang Unit
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (Party), (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(S) Stuart Griffith, Ojai, 54
(S) Angelica Griffith, Ojai, 58
(S) Anzel Griffith, Ojai, 22
(V) Juvenile, Ojai, 17
(V) Juvenile, Ojai, 15
Narrative:
On 03/29/2018, Three suspects were arrested on firearm and assault charges committed in the Ojai Valley. This incident was stemming from a multi-day dispute between the victims and suspects.
On March 29th Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives responded to Nordhoff High School reference an altercation that had just occurred on school property. After interviewing the victims and multiple witnesses, Detectives were able to determine (S) Anzel Griffith had entered onto school property and committed a battery against the 15 year old victim regarding stolen property. The 15 year old victim admitted to stealing Anzel’s two small motorcycles with another 17 year old victim on, 03/17/2018. Based on multiple witnesses, the 15 year old victim, and suspect statements, at no time were any gun(s) brought onto the campus, or seen, at Nordhoff High School.
Interviews on the March 29th incident at Nordhoff High School, revealed details of an incident that had occurred on 3/22/2018:
On March 22nd Anzel and his father, (S) Stuart Griffith, had participated in a vehicle chase with the two juvenile victims through the Ojai Valley. The vehicle chase ended at the entrance of the Rancho Matilija Gated Community where Anzel brandished a 9mm handgun at the victims. Stuart and Anzel forcibly removed the victims from the vehicle, knocking them to the ground and delivering multiple kicks to the head and torso areas of both victims.
Due to the incidents on 3/22/2018 and 03/29/2018, Anzel contacted Stuart after leaving the assault at Nordhoff High School. In fear of the police coming to their residence with a search warrant, Stuart instructed Anzel and his wife, (S) Angelica, to remove all firearms from their residence and transport them to a separate location prior to police arrival. Detectives from the Sheriff’s Gang Unit, who were already surveilling the suspect’s home, observed Anzel and Angelica place multiple firearms in their vehicle and leave the area. Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives from the Gang Unit conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and all parties were arrested.
This incident resulted in the suspects being arrested for the following charges:
PC 245(a)(4) - Assault by means to produce great bodily injury
PC 422(a) – Criminal Threats
PC 417 (2) – Brandishing a Firearm
PC 32 – Accessory after the fact
Additional charges are pending reference a modified non-California complaint AR-15 that was found during the arrest.
An investigation into the original motorcycle thefts, burglary and conspiracy charges are now underway.
At no time did either party contact police to report the theft of the motorcycles on March 17th or the assault that took place on March 22nd. The incident on March 29th at Nordhoff High School was reported by multiple witnesses at the school.
Throughout the incident at Nordhoff High School, Ojai Police Chief, James Fryhoff, continued to update Ojai Unified School District Superintendent, Andrew Cantwell. Superintendent Andrew Cantwell said: "We are grateful to our partnership with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and for their help in bringing this incident to a safe conclusion. Students' safety is our first priority and we have worked diligently with local police and our school community to make our campuses as safe as we can. We must, as a community of educators, students, parents and police, teach our children that there are non-violent ways to resolve their differences."
All suspects were transported and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Center in Ventura, CA.
Prepared by: Detective Preciado
News Release Date: 03/30/2018
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective Preciado (805) 947-8083
Approved by: Captain Fryhoff
