Ventura Man Held in Truck Theft and Weapons Case
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A 22-year-old Ventura man is in custody after he allegedly stole his neighbor’s pickup truck while armed with a loaded AK-47 assault rifle.
Jay Carter was booked into Ventura County Jail on Wednesday on suspicion of carjacking, possession of an assault rifle, criminal threats and possession of a stolen vehicle. Authorities found Carter in front of a house on Santa Rosa Street about 45 minutes after the truck was reported missing from an east Ventura neighborhood, Ventura Police Sgt. Chris Hart said.
During Carter’s arrest, officers noticed a man trying to hide in a vehicle parked nearby. They found Ventura resident Jake Valenzula, 23, who was wanted on charges stemming from a police chase and hit-and-run that occurred April 13, Hart said. Valenzula was booked on suspicion of drug possession, felony evading, hit-and-run and resisting arrest.
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