1 Killed, 6 Hurt as Pickup Truck Plunges 45 Feet

An Oxnard man died and six people were injured Saturday morning after a pickup they were riding in plunged 45 feet down a ravine at the Lake Casitas campgrounds near Ojai, a California Highway Patrol official said.

Anthony Tinoco, 20, of Oxnard was pronounced dead at Ojai Valley Hospital at 4:10 a.m., about three hours after the accident, Ventura County Deputy Coroner Mitch Breese said. Tinoco died of massive head injuries, Breese said.

Officers arrested the driver of the Dodge truck, Tracey Rene Moore, 21, of Ojai, on suspicion of felony drunken driving, CHP dispatcher Dirk Snyder said. No charges have been filed.

Moore was hospitalized at Ventura County Medical Center with moderate injuries, a nursing supervisor said.

Highway Patrol officials said Moore failed to slow down while rounding a curve about 35 m.p.h. and lost control of the vehicle. The truck crashed into thick brush and jagged rocks below.

Five youths who were injured in the wreck were taken to hospitals in Ojai and Ventura.

Ignacio Ramirez, 19, remained in critical condition after surgery at the Ventura County Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said. CHP officials did not identify Ramirez’s hometown.

Treated for minor injuries and released from area hospitals were Victor Ramirez, 17, of Oxnard, Sam Houseman, 18, Joseph Sigafoos, 18, and Janet Mack, 16, all of Ojai.

The accident occurred in a hilly area covered with chaparral and boulders, Lake Casitas Recreation Area Park Ranger Brent Doan said. The youths had apparently had a loud party at their campsite before the crash, he said.

The 350-site campground at Lake Casitas was nearly full, and campers complained to park rangers about loud noise late Friday, Doan said.

Park rangers were on their way to the campsite when they encountered the accident, he said. Other campers had tried to help some of the youths out of the ravine and administered first aid to the more seriously injured youths.

The accident was one of the worst crashes in recent memory at the campgrounds, a recreational area known as a pastoral fishing and picnic spot, Doan said.