The Ventura County Sheriff's Department says that three residents of extreme northern Ventura County have been arrested in connection a home invasion attack on a woman.  They say it was reported Wednesday evening around 5:15 PM when 59-year-old Gail Britt called the Lockwood Valley Sheriff's station and reported a crime had occurred at her home in the 28500 block of Maricopa Highway (HWY 33).  Britt told deputies that three suspects forced their way into her home, assaulted and battered her, made death threats against her and her family, and dragged her through her house against her will.  Deputies say they found serious visible injuries on Britt, and evidence in the house, which were consistent with what she had reported.  Deputies arrested 54-year-old Robert Chuk who lives in Camp Scheideck, and 50-year-old Lori Murphy who lives in Ozena Valley.  They also arrested 28-year-old Adam Owen of the Ozena Valley.  They were arrested for felony battery, burglary, criminal threats, and kidnapping.  Deputies say during the investigation the suspects made statements that corroborated the victim's statements.  All three were booked into the Ventura County Jail on $1 million bail.  Deputies say the incident stemmed from a landlord-tenant dispute where the suspects were involved in a legal marijuana cultivation business under state law.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Gang Unit swept through a two block section of El Rio Thursday, arresting four people on narcotics violations.  Deputies say those four are considered gang members or gang associates, and they say the raids in the 2400 and 2500 block of Balboa Street were in response to a recent rash of gang related incidents in that neighborhood.  The incidents recently included a shooting, arsons, and numerous reports of early morning gunfire.  Deputies say they searched those residences where individuals live who are on probation for other crimes.  One of the four taken into custody was on probation dissuading a witness at a crime trial.  When deputies tried to take him into custody for violating his probation after they found narcotics, deputies say the individual resisted arrest, refused to allow investigators to search him and fought with them as they tried to handcuff him.

Santa Paula Police say a teenager was stabbed late Thursday night during a reported fight in that city.  Officers were dispatched to the 300 block of Larmon Loop around midnight to a report of a fight in progress.  When they arrived on scene, they found a 17-year-old juvenile stabbed several times in the chest.  The teen was treated by paramedics and firefighters and then rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.  Police say the juvenile is listed in critical condition.  Santa Paula Police are not releasing any other information about the incident.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department Thursday revealed what really happened Tuesday night when deputies chased a vehicle north of Fillmore and the driver got out and jumped off a cliff in the middle of the night.  They now say that man, and at least 5 others, were part of an illegal marijuana plantation in the Squaw Flats area north of Fillmore.  After the man abandoned his rental vehicle, deputies impounded it and found 78 pounds of processed marijuana inside.  The believe the man had taken food to those operating the plantation and then was leaving with some of the pot.  The pursuit that led to the man jumping over the cliff was actually part of a surveillance operation that narcotics detectives had going after the Sheriff's helicopter had spotted the illegal plantation earlier. That man is apparently still at large.  During Tuesday night's incident, deputies went into the area and arrested 2 of the 5 people working the plantation site.  They are identified as 22-year-old Alfredo Botello of Temecula and a 16-year-old male juvenile from Mexico at the plantation.  Deputies say they are discovering that juveniles are being smuggled over the border from Mexico to work at illegal pot plantations in the United States.  In some cases they are forced to work in the pot plantations in order to pay off what they owe the smuggler, or coyote, for bringing them into the U-S.

The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office says two Oxnard brothers were killed Wednesday night in a traffic collision on Victoria Avenue.  Oxnard Police say the brothers' BMW was using the dirt center median to pass other vehicles just prior to going out of control and crashing.  The incident happened around 7:09 PM on Victoria Avenue south of Gonzales Road.  Police say a white BMW sedan driven by a 25-year-old Jorge Fernandez of Oxnard was traveling northbound on Victoria.  Police say it was passing other northbound traffic by driving in the dirt center median when it went out of control just south of Gonzales.  They say the BMW began sliding sideways and crossed into the southbound lanes where it collided with a red Ford compact driven by 26-year-old Shannon Martinez of Ventura.  The collision caused her vehicle to overturn.  Firefighters had to extricate her from the wreckage and she was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center with multiple injuries.  Police say she was admitted in serious but stable condition.  They say the 25-year-old male driver of the BMW, Fernandez, was pronounced dead at the scene, as was his 15-year-old brother Alfredo, who was his passenger.  The crash closed Victoria Avenue in both directions for about 5 hours.  Police are asking anyone who has information about the crash to call Senior Officer Maria Pena at (805) 385-7750. 

Ventura Police Wednesday took the unusual step of naming their suspect in the slaying of a teenager on July 12th.  They say they are looking for 16-year-old Roberto Flores of Ventura (photo) in connection with the stabbing death of 17-year-old Salvador Esparza of Ventura.  The incident happened around 9:45 PM on July 12th during a fight on Bell Way near Olive Street in west Ventura.  Police are asking the public to provide them with any information that will help them find Flores so they can take him into custody.  They also remind the public that hiding or helping him hide from the authorities is a crime punishable by state prison time.  Anyone who can help Ventura Police find Flores is asked to call the Ventura Police Department, or, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.