3 Suspects Arrested on Freeway After Robbery Attempt in Ojai

VENTURA — Authorities briefly closed California 33 during afternoon rush hour Wednesday to arrest three men suspected in an attempted armed robbery in Ojai.

The California Highway Patrol shut down both sides of the highway south of Stanley Avenue while Ventura County sheriff’s deputies arrested the suspects and seized three handguns, authorities said.

The robbers confronted a resident in the 200 block of South Montgomery Street in Ojai about 5:15 p.m., Deputy Al Neigand said.

The unidentified victim gave authorities a description of the men’s white Ford pickup truck immediately after the attempted robbery. About five minutes later, a vehicle matching the description was seen by Deputies Scott Peterson and Ray Bornand on California 33 in Casitas Springs.

The deputies pulled over the truck near Stanley Avenue and took the men into custody without incident after the CHP cleared the highway by running a traffic break, Weigand said.

A short time later, the suspects were lined up on the shoulder of the freeway while a sheriff’s cruiser made a slow pass, with the victim in the back of the patrol car identifying two of the men as possible suspects, Weigand said.

All three were taken to County Jail in Ventura.

Their names were not released, and the investigation is continuing.