THOUSAND OAKS : Man Faces Retrial in Drive-By Shooting
A reputed gang member from Thousand Oaks will be retried for his role in a drive-by shooting, a Ventura County Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday.
Judge Allan L. Steele had declared a mistrial in November after a jury deadlocked on charges of conspiracy and assault with a firearm against Scott Kastan, 18. The charges stemmed from an April 27 incident in which shots were fired into a house in the 600 block of Greenwich Drive. No one was injured.
At the prosecution’s request, Steele set Jan. 21 for Kastan’s new trial, Deputy Dist. Atty. Peter Brown said.
Three other defendants were acquitted of one count each of assault with a firearm, but the jury deadlocked on conspiracy charges against them.
However, Steele ruled that in order to retry the other defendants--alleged Houston Hoods gang members Adolfo Alvarez, 18; Wade Caddin, 19, and Joseph Cruz, 23--the district attorney’s office will have to file a new case.
Brown said a decision has not been made on whether to refile charges against Alvarez, Caddin and Cruz.
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