Two Santa Barbara County teens were arrested Monday afternoon after allegedly ramming a Ventura police patrol car with a stolen vehicle and leading officers on a pursuit that ended outside Ventura High School.
The incident began around 2:09 p.m. when Ventura Police officers located a stolen vehicle parked in the 3300 block of East Main Street.
Street Crimes Unit detectives responded, and “were waiting to see if anybody came back out to the vehicle,” said Sergeant Fabian Gutierrez of the Ventura Police Department.
According to Gutierrez, two male suspects entered the vehicle and drove away. Officers attempted a traffic stop.
“They began fleeing,” Gutierrez said. “They intentionally rammed the patrol car, and then they fled.”
The patrol vehicle that was struck was a marked black-and-white unit occupied by officers, Gutierrez confirmed. The stolen vehicle itself is considered the deadly weapon in the felony assault charge, as it was used to strike a peacekeeper’s car.
After striking the patrol unit, the suspects continued driving, prompting officers to initiate a pursuit.
The chase ended near Poli Street, a residential roadway that runs between portions of Ventura High School’s campus. During school hours, a metal barrier blocks through traffic.
Once the suspects reached that barrier, Gutierrez said, they abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot onto school grounds.
Both were apprehended on campus. A temporary lockdown was implemented while officers secured the area. No injuries were reported.
Bryan Isaac Ramirez, 18, of Santa Barbara, was booked into the Ventura County Jail on charges including felony assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, felony evading, unlawful taking of a vehicle, and felony child endangerment.
A 17-year-old male from Goleta was arrested on charges including felony possession of a concealed dirk or dagger, felony possession of a weapon on school grounds, felony child endangerment, and resisting arrest.
The Ventura Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit is continuing the investigation.
