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VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. A man was arrested this week after he reportedly fired a handgun at a Ventura County Firehawk helicopter, officials said Friday.
The aircraft is a converted HH-60L Blackhawk helicopter that is used for fighting wildland fires, personnel transport, search and rescue, law enforcement, and medical evacuation, according to fireaviation.com.
The shooting was reported about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday while first responders were engaged in nighttime training operations in the Lake Casitas area, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
“The pilot of Copter 4 took evasive action and identified a suspect vehicle leaving the area at a high rate of speed,” according to the news release.
Updated
Jul 23, 2021 03:17 pm
OAK VIEW, Calif. (AP) Authorities arrested a man Thursday after they said he fired gunshots at a California firefighting helicopter during nighttime training exercises.
No one aboard the helicopter called Ventura County Firehawk Copter 4 was injured, and the aircraft was not struck, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
The suspect, 44-year-old Joshua Chimarusti, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder and several firearms offenses. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, and it was not immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
The helicopter crew was flying around 9:15 p.m. Wednesday in Lake Casitas, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, for training operations, the sheriff’s office said. The crew realized there was gunfire aimed at them, and the pilot took evasive actions and saw a vehicle speeding away.
KEYT
VENTURA, Calif. – An Oak View man faces possible charges for attempted murder after he allegedly shot at a Ventura County Firehawk helicopter Wednesday night.
The helicopter and its crew was conducting nighttime training near Lake Casitas when they were fired on from the ground. The pilot took evasive action and avoided being hit by gunfire, according to the Ventura County Sheriff s Office.
A vehicle driving at a high rate of speed was identified as the suspect vehicle. The helicopter followed the vehicle to the 200 block of Olive Street in Oak View.
The driver got out of the vehicle and again opened fire on the helicopter with a handgun, according to the sheriff s office. He then fled the area.
Map courtesy city of Ventura
A proposed pipeline to bring state water from Camarillo to Saticoy would lessen the city of Ventura’s demand on Lake Casitas.
WHEN: Tuesday, July 27, at 5 p.m.
WHERE: Online, live and recorded
The Casitas Municipal Water District Board of Directors will hold a public workshop
July 27 on two proposed projects to bring State Water Project water to western Ventura County. The workshop can be viewed live and recorded on the CMWD website. Meeting agendas and instructions for joining via teleconference also are posted at: https://www.casitaswater.org.
Perry Van Houten,
Ojai Valley News senior reporter
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