Major Storm Gives Area a Good Soak : Weather: County mountains receive the most moisture. The front is blamed for the death of one motorist in Oxnard.

To the delight of farmers and water officials, a major winter storm from the Pacific Northwest dumped up to 4 1/2 inches of rain on the mountains of northern Ventura County and up to three-quarters of an inch in other areas, meteorologists said Tuesday.

But the wet weather made for slow going on some county roads and contributed to one traffic fatality, officials said.

Police said rain-slick streets in Oxnard led to the death of a Port Hueneme man when the van he was driving was struck head-on by a semi-tractor-truck on Hueneme Road.

Juan Alcantar Tapia, 51, was killed when his van, which was traveling east about 40 m.p.h., collided with the truck near the entrance to a produce market at 3000 Hueneme Road, California Highway Patrol spokesman Dave Webb said.

Tapia died at the scene of the 6:15 a.m. accident after the truck, driven by Anthony Garcia, 42, of Upland, swerved into oncoming traffic and hit the van, Webb said.

A passenger in the van, Maria Arevalo, 45, was taken to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, authorities said. She was in fair condition after surgery late Tuesday, a nursing supervisor said.

Garcia was not injured and had not been charged with a crime on Tuesday, Webb said. An investigation was continuing, he said.

Intermittent showers are expected to continue this morning, tapering off to overcast skies tonight, said Rick Dittmann, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times.

Tuesday’s storm brought between one-third and three-quarters of an inch of rain to the Oxnard plain and eastern cities of the county, meteorologists said.

The rain fell most heavily in Rose Valley, where more than four inches of precipitation was measured, said meteorologist Terry Schaeffer of the National Weather Service in Santa Paula. Simi Valley recorded 0.75 inches and Oxnard picked up 0.31 inches as of late Tuesday, he said.

The Ventura RV Resort, situated in the mouth of the Ventura River, reported no flooding on Tuesday, manager Joe Crognale said. In February, flash flooding inundated the park, killing a homeless man who camped in the river bottom and sweeping 10 to 15 motor homes out to sea.

“There has been a 4 1/2-inch to 5-inch rise in the Ventura River” as of early Tuesday, said Dolores Taylor, an engineer with the Ventura County Flood Control District. “But it would have to rain a lot more for there to be any serious flood danger.”

County farmers said the downpour would benefit a variety of crops during the growing season.

“I love it,” said Tom Pecht, who grows avocados and lemons on 125 acres between Oxnard and Camarillo. “Nice rains at a warm temperature clear out the soil so fertilizer can reach the roots, which makes fruit get bigger. It also keeps the bug population down. Everybody wants the rain.”

Richard Doerner, who works at the Bob James Ranch in El Rio, which grows strawberries, added: “The rain couldn’t be better, as long as there is no flooding.”

While cautioning that the drought is far from over, officials said any rain at all was welcome in their drought-ravaged districts.

“We’re delighted with the rainfalls,” said Frederick J. Gientke, manager of the United Water Conservation District, which serves about 300,000 customers. “We’ve been able to get a modest inflow, but it’s welcome.”

Officials at Lake Casitas said the reservoir had gained about 1,000 acre-feet of water since the storm rolled in about midnight Monday. An acre-foot of water, about 326,000 gallons, is enough to serve two average-sized families for a year.

John Johnson, general manager of the Casitas Municipal Water District, said the rainfall was “not a whole lot, but every little bit helps.”

Larry Davis, manager of the Saticoy Regional Golf Course in Ventura, said that despite the rain there were 49 golfers on the course by midafternoon Tuesday.

“It’s mostly people visiting and people with cabin fever,” Davis said.

Ventura County Rainfall

As of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday

Rainfall Rainfall normal Location Storm total year to date this time of year Ojai 2.07 7.41 5.99 Ventura 0.42 5.94 4.56 Oxnard 0.46 4.74 4.10 Camarillo 0.41 4.78 4.19 Thousand Oaks 0.75 5.02 4.37 Simi Valley 0.67 5.26 4.11 Moorpark 0.55 4.20 4.34 Santa Paula 0.58 6.35 5.34 Fillmore 0.75 7.28 5.96