Intruder’s Death Ruled Accidental
The Ventura County district attorney’s office will not charge a 29-year-old Ventura man in connection with the August shooting death of a drifter who had sexually assaulted the man’s girlfriend, prosecutors said Friday.
Dean Soto fatally shot 23-year-old James Vleck at an apartment in the 600 block of East Thompson Boulevard about 7 p.m. on Aug. 9.
Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Ronald C. Janes said prosecutors ruled the shooting accidental.
Janes said Soto was at the apartment, armed with a loaded revolver, because Vleck had broken in earlier in the day and assaulted the 21-year-old woman at knifepoint.
He said Vleck showed up at the apartment again after Soto had arrived.
Soto pointed the pistol at Vleck and ordered him to sit down until police arrived to investigate the woman’s complaint of sexual assault, Janes said. Vleck, however, pulled a switchblade knife and tried to grab the gun from Soto, according to Janes.
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