Police Chief’s Sons Face Battery Charges

Two adult sons of Simi Valley Police Chief Randy Adams will face trial next month on charges that they beat up a motorist after a traffic dispute in Camarillo.

Ryan Adams, 21, pleaded not guilty in Superior Court on Monday to misdemeanor charges of battery and disturbing the peace. Reed Adams, 23, pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of battery, disturbing the peace, hit-and-run property damage and reckless driving, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Bill Redmond. Trial has been set for Sept. 28.

Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Bamford said the incident occurred June 28 on Santa Rosa Road. The physical confrontation, involving both Adams brothers and the passenger of the other vehicle--identified by Redmond as William Coble--began after the vehicles struck each other and Coble’s wife made an obscene gesture, Bamford said.

The vehicles pulled to the side of the road, and the three men began fighting, leaving Reed Adams and Coble injured, Bamford said. He said the Adams brothers left the scene before police arrived, but were later stopped by sheriff’s deputies in Ventura.

“We hear of road rage and people complain about it, but we don’t get a lot of criminal complaints where it actually results in a physical confrontation,” Bamford said.

Reed Adams’ lawyer, Louis Samonski, said his client and his brother each report different versions of the incident, and “we’re investigating it and attempting to find out whether [any of] the three stories can be corroborated.”