VENTURA : 4 in Family Arrested in Melee With Police

Four members of a Ventura family were arrested on suspicion of rioting and assaulting a police officer, Ventura police said Friday.

Jose Huerta Jr., 19, is being held in lieu of $2,500 bail at Ventura County Jail. His father and brother-in-law--Jose Huerta, 52, and Celedonio Aleman, 26--are also being held on $2,500 bail each and are suspected of attempting to take Jose Huerta Jr. from police custody. Huerta’s mother, Maria Huerta, 44, was arrested on suspicion of the same charges and released on her own recognizance.

Officers responded to a report of shots fired in the area of Ramona Street and Sheridan Way about 7:10 p.m. Thursday, police said. A blue car was spotted speeding in the area and was pulled over by Officer Daniel Lee on Riverside Street, police said.

According to police reports, Jose Huerta Jr. was driving, and began swearing at Lee while the officer searched him for weapons. His family, which lives on the 600 block of Riverside Street, saw what was happening and about 15 to 20 people ran out of the house and charged Lee, police said.

Lee was beaten and scratched in the face and chest by Huerta’s father and mother. The crowd tried to free Huerta from Lee’s grasp, police said.

Officers Jack Richards and Jim Cubitt arrived within minutes and were also assaulted by the crowd before other officers came to help, police said.

Cubitt said he did not think anyone in the family had been drinking and could not give a reason why the melee had occurred. “A family decided to take the law into their hands,” Cubitt said. “There were some people in the crowd trying to hold back other members of the crowd, but they were in the minority.”

Richards and Lee suffered minor injuries. They were treated at Ventura County Medical Center and released.

Jose Huerta Jr. and his father are scheduled to be arraigned Monday, and the mother and brother-in-law are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.