Stabbing Suspect Arrested

The prime suspect in an Oxnard stabbing earlier this month was arrested Wednesday in Ventura after police pulled him over and allegedly found a large plastic bag of cocaine stashed in a child’s backpack.

Suspected gang member Gerardo Reyes, 20, was in jail Wednesday night on $1-million bail on suspicion of attempted murder, possession and transportation of drugs for sale, child endangerment and a gang-related charge, authorities said.

He was stopped about 7:45 a.m. in the 6000 block of Albatross Street as he was driving three young children to school, authorities said, adding that the cocaine was valued by police at $11,000.

According to Oxnard Police Det. Trent Jewell, Reyes participated in a gang fight shortly after midnight March 11 at a restaurant in the 2700 block of Wagon Wheel Road in Oxnard.

Immediately after the fight, officers said four people had suffered stab wounds, but Wednesday they said only one man was seriously injured from a stab wound to the neck and that Reyes was allegedly responsible.

Officers have refused to identify that victim or release his medical condition.

In addition to the car search, authorities searched Reyes’ house, also on Albatross Street, and said they found additional narcotics and gang paraphernalia there.

At the house, a second man, 20-year-old Peter Paul Zuniga, was taken into custody on suspicion of possessing marijuana for sale. He was booked into jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.