| Nature of Incident: |
Pursuit Investigation |
| Report Number: |
24-154480 |
| Location: |
S/B US-101 at Lewis Road Offramp, Camarillo |
| Date & Time: |
12/8/2024 10:18 P.M. |
| Unit(s) Responsible: |
Camarillo Police Department, California Highway Patrol
|
| (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence
|
Age |
(D) Jose Meza
|
Moorpark
|
46
|
| Narrative: |
A vehicle led a California Highway Patrol Officer and Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy on a high-speed vehicle pursuit through the unincorporated area south of Camarillo and through the city of Camarillo, resulting in a fatal solo vehicle collision on the US-101 freeway on the Lewis Road offramp. The collision, and investigation that followed, caused a closure of the Lewis Road onramp and offramp of the southbound US-101 freeway for several hours.
On 12/8/2024, at about 10:15 P.M., an officer from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle driving eastbound on Pleasant Valley Road near Wood Road for vehicle code violations. The CHP officer believed the driver was possibly driving under the influence. The driver failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated. One CHP unit pursued the suspect vehicle with the emergency lights and sirens from Pleasant Valley Road, then north on Las Posas Road towards the US-101 freeway.
A sheriff’s deputy working in the city of Camarillo became aware of the pursuit. The deputy saw the same vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed northbound Las Posas Road at Ventura Boulevard with the CHP officer pursuing from a significant distance behind the speeding vehicle. The deputy activated his lights and sirens and began to pursue the vehicle.
The pursuit continued onto southbound US-101 freeway from Las Posas Road. While on the freeway, speeds reached over 100 miles per hour as the driver continued to attempt to avoid apprehension.
The driver attempted to exit at the Lewis Road off-ramp. The vehicle did not navigate the turn and collided with the center guard rail and the driver was ejected from the vehicle. The suspect vehicle was the only vehicle involved in the collision. The suspect was later identified as (D) Jose Meza.
Meza was immediately provided medical aid by deputies and a CHP officer prior to the arrival of the Ventura County Fire Department and AMR. Meza was transported to the Los Robles Regional Medical Center. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Meza was pronounced deceased.
The collision occurred in the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol and investigators from the California Highway Patrol responded to conduct a collision investigation.
This investigation is still on-going by both the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and CHP. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who has any information, is asked to come forward to assist in the investigation. Witnesses are encouraged to contact Detective Luke Riordan of the Camarillo Investigations Unit at the below listed number.
|
| Prepared by: |
Sergeant Thomas Miller |
|
| News Release Date: |
12/11/2024 |
|
| Media Follow-Up Contact: |
Detective Luke Riordan
Camarillo Investigations Unit
Phone:805-388-5120
|
|
Approved by:
Booking Photo Release: |
Captain Jason Hendren
YES NO |
|
